Ron Rivera coaching timeline: Why ex-Panthers coach left NFL to become Cal general manager

Daniel Mader

Ron Rivera coaching timeline: Why ex-Panthers coach left NFL to become Cal general manager image

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Not too long ago, Ron Rivera was considered one of the NFL's best head coaches. A two-time Coach of the Year, he led perhaps the greatest era in Carolina Panthers history.

However, Rivera no longer patrols NFL sidelines, despite his outstanding resume. In March 2025, he took on a new role as general manager for the California Golden Bears' football program.

Rivera is set to be at Cal through at least 2028, per his contract. How did one of the NFL's greatest coaches wind up back at the college level as a general manager?

Here's what to know about Rivera's connections to Cal and why he took on the new role in 2025.

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Why did Ron Rivera go to Cal?

Ron Rivera had 13 years of NFL head coaching experience by January 2024, when he was fired by the Washington Commanders. However, all four of his years in Washington resulted in non-winning seasons. Rivera did not take on a new coaching role for the 2024 season.

But in March 2025, Rivera decided to take his career a different route. Joining his alma mater, Cal, he was announced as the football program's general manager. The press release for Rivera's hiring was detailed the "newly-created" general manager position, which would be "fully funded by private philanthropy" as Rivera worked "to generate new revenue and fundraising opportunities for the team while lending his leadership and expertise, both on and off the field."

“I am fired up to be coming home,” Rivera said in the press release. “My love and passion for Cal has never changed, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future of our football program. I look forward to working with Chancellor Lyons as we look to Jim Knowlton, Justin Wilcox and all of our staff and players to compete for championships as we move forward in this new and rapidly changing era of college football.”

Rivera's ties to Cal, where he once played college football, clearly played a role in his decision. According to the release, he and his wife, Stephanie Rivera, had continued supporting Golden Bears athletics over the years. They were both previously recognized as "Builders of Berkeley," a group of leading university benefactors whose giving totals $1 million or more.

Rivera said his decision to join Cal as a GM was "an opportunity to come home and give back."

"The university has given me so much in my lifetime. It was kind of the launching pad that got me going into the direction that I did as far as playing professionally and ended up being an NFL coach and altogether 36 years involved in the NFL. ... I'm looking for another challenge, another opportunity. But where better than to come home to the university and give back," Rivera said, per ESPN. 

The former coach became the latest big name to become a GM for a college program, joining Andrew Luck at Stanford, Michael Lombardi at UNC and more. Rivera said his role includes "every aspect" of the football team, including practices, revenue generation, fundraising, engaging with alumni, etc.

Rivera told The Daily Californian in October 2025 that he envisions Cal football becoming a top-20 program, seeking to build a "sustainable winning culture."

"This is the University of California,” Rivera told The Daily Californian. “We’re the public university. We are at the anchor. We are the ones that everybody looks to. That’s why we’re held to a certain standard. I don't think we’ve been held to a certain standard athletically, and that’s a mistake. … I’d love to be held to a higher standard, as far as football’s concerned.”

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Where did Ron Rivera go to college?

Ron Rivera played football at Cal from 1980-83. A graduate of Seaside High School in Marina, California, Rivera played linebacker for the Golden Bears, becoming one of the best defensive players in the country.

In Rivera's collegiate career, he was a consensus All-American and the co-Pac-10 Football Defensive Player of the Year in his senior season. He was also named MVP of the East–West Shrine Game. Rivera led the Golden Bears in tackles three times, and he ended his career with 47.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, which remains a school record. 

Rivera was inducted into the Cal Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.

The future coach was drafted in the second round by the Chicago Bears in the 1984 NFL Draft; he played for the Bears until 1992, when he retired. He won the Super Bowl as a player with Chicago in 1985.

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When did Ron Rivera leave the NFL?

Rivera had been an NFL coach in some fashion in every season from 1997-2023, including two stints as a head coach. However, he never returned to the league after being fired by the Commanders in January 2024. 

Washington had finished 4-13 in the 2023 season, its worst record of four non-winning seasons with Rivera at the helm. 

After some time away from football, Rivera became Cal football's general manager in March 2025.

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Ron Rivera past teams coached

Here's Rivera's full timeline as an NFL coach:

  • Chicago Bears, defensive quality control coach, 1997-1998
  • Philadelphia Eagles, linebackers coach, 1999-2003
  • Chicago Bears, defensive coordinator, 2004-06
  • San Diego Chargers, linebackers coach and defensive coordinator, 2007-2010
  • Carolina Panthers, head coach, 2011-19
  • Washington Commanders, head coach, 2020-23

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Ron Rivera coaching record

  • 102-103-2 (.498)

Over his time coaching the Panthers and Commanders, Rivera accumulated a 102-103-2 record. While he did have some high points -- such as a 15-1 season in 2015 as Carolina reached the Super Bowl -- some of his teams struggled, especially in his Washington tenure.

Still, Rivera won the Coach of the Year award twice (2013, 2015), leading Carolina to four playoff appearances and Washington to one.

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Daniel Mader

Daniel Mader is a Content Producer for The Sporting News. He joined SN in 2024 as an editorial intern following graduation from Penn State University. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated, NBC Sports, the Centre Daily Times, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, The Daily Collegian and LancasterOnline. Daniel grew up in Lancaster, Penn., with a love for baseball that’ll never fade, but could also talk basketball or football for days.