Three head coaching jobs remain vacant, and they have been unfilled since Black Monday. As the Ravens, Dolphins, Steelers and Bills made hires after post-Black Monday firings, the Browns, Cardinals and Raiders’ searches drag on. An unexpected name has emerged amid Arizona’s process.
Ron Rivera completed an interview for the Cardinals’ HC position, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports. The former Panthers and Commanders HC is currently serving as Cal’s GM. Rivera, 64, took the Cal position in 2025; he has not coached since the 2023 season. This hiring cycle has seen two coaches over 60 hired, with John Harbaugh and Mike McCarthy landing jobs.
This is not Rivera’s first interview since being ousted in Washington. The Bears, Jets and Raiders met with him about their openings in 2025. Rivera has 13 years’ experience as an NFL head coach. The former Coach of the Year has a Super Bowl appearance on his resume, though the back half of his Panthers tenure and most of his Commanders years did not go especially well.
Rivera is 102-103-2 as an NFL HC. He guided the Panthers to four playoff berths in a five-year span, backing Cam Newton with a few stout defenses during that span. The Panthers stormed to Super Bowl 50 after a 15-1 season, but after losing to the underdog Broncos, the team did not approach those heights again. After making one playoff appearance from 2016-18, Rivera received his walking papers — by second-year owner David Tepper — during the 2019 season.
Receiving personnel control to help a Washington franchise find some stability late in Dan Snyder‘s tenure, Rivera did lead the then-Washington Football Team to the 2020 playoffs — albeit at 7-9. The team could not find a quarterback during Rivera’s tenure, missing on Carson Wentz and Sam Howell. Another new owner, Josh Harris, booted Rivera after the 2023 season. That ’23 campaign ended badly enough — with eight straight losses following the trades of Montez Sweat and Chase Young — it helped the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn regime land Jayden Daniels with the No. 2 overall pick in 2024.
The Cardinals have already seen Jonathan Gannon and Drew Petzing land on their feet. The three-year coworkers will be coaching against each other in the NFC North, with Gannon now the Packers’ DC and Petzing the Lions’ OC. Arizona’s search passed the three-week mark Monday, and a few names are out of the process. Joe Brady, Anthony Campanile, Jeff Hafley, John Harbaugh, Jesse Minter and Robert Saleh landed elsewhere or, in Campanile’s case, bowed out of the search. Via PFR’s HC Search Tracker, here is how the search stands as of Monday evening:
- Joe Brady, offensive coordinator (Bills): To conduct in-person interview
- Thomas Brown, tight ends coach (Patriots): Interview requested
- Matt Burke, defensive coordinator (Texans): Interviewed
- Anthony Campanile, defensive coordinator (Jaguars): Conducted second interview 1/22; staying with Jaguars
- Jeff Hafley, defensive coordinator (Packers): Interviewed 1/14
- John Harbaugh, former head coach (Ravens): Contacted
- Vance Joseph, defensive coordinator (Broncos): Interviewed 1/10, considered “strong candidate”
- Klint Kubiak, offensive coordinator (Seahawks): Interviewed 1/10
- Mike LaFleur, offensive coordinator (Rams): To conduct second interview 1/26-7; leading candidate?
- Jesse Minter, defensive coordinator (Chargers): Interviewed 1/13
- Raheem Morris, former head coach (Falcons): Interviewed; leading candidate?
- Matt Nagy, offensive coordinator (Chiefs): Interviewed 1/9
- Ron Rivera, former head coach (Commanders): Interviewed 1/27
- Robert Saleh, defensive coordinator (49ers): Interviewed 1/15
- Chris Shula, defensive coordinator (Rams): Interviewed 1/16
- Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator (Steelers): Interview requested
- Anthony Weaver, defensive coordinator (Dolphins): To conduct second interview 1/26
Damn they are Desperate with a capital D. Change their name to the Arizona Desperates.
Desperados?
What are you doing?
We’ve been asking the Bidwill Family that question for 70 years now
“We would like to make you the lowest paid head coach in the NFL!”
Yikes. I knew it was a rough situation, but that’s bleak. No disrespect to Rivera as a man, but as an NFL head coach, he should not be getting calls.
Yeah, I can see Rivera as a stabilizing force, but he doesn’t really elevate a team. His time in Washington seemed really detrimental to me in evaluating his abilities, even if that did come with the caveat of being a cog in the Allen/Snyder regime.The Cards seem interested in coaches that have no chance at challenging their GM. None of the names interviewed come across as confrontational or headstrong, they all seem to be first time coaches with low profiles, or veteran retreads with “stabilizing” vibes more than aggressive ones.
Just a very, totally, completely speculative analyses. I feel almost irresponsible just typing it out, but I do wonder if Ossenfort wants to leave a more lasting impact on the team than he was with a coach who was hired together with him in Gannon.
I think it’s more that the combination of bad quarterback situation, brutal division, and owners who are not only among the game’s cheapest but fired the last coach before he could have a quarterback he didn’t inherit is relegating them to lesser candidates.
Undoubtedly that plays into it on the candidates’ sides. It’s a tough job for a team that has ownership questions (at least publically). I don’t think that Gannon’s firing makes too much difference, but this also isn’t the first time that the current has put a coach on a short leash, either.
Ron’s time has passed. Let these young bucks get in the game and establish themselves.
I thought the Eagles were down bad looking for an OC. I feel slightly better now
I do not feel better being in the same bucket as the cardinals.
Oh no I mean if they are stooping this low we’re looking good.
Rivera is what his record says. He’s a decent HFC who can win with Armstrong roster and a good staff. His teams won’t outperform their ability.
It worked (mostly) when Jerry Richardson was in charge of the Panthers and stopped when Tepper,took over. (Richardson got what he deserved.)
I don’t think the Bidwells are as competent as either Panthers owner.
Armstrong roster or a strong roster? You make the call!
A team where all the last names are Armstrong could be sweet.
I’m sure that was just autocorrect having a little fun, which could easily be auto carrot if I just get one letter wrong.😁
Randomly thought about this guy the other day. I don’t think he’d change the culture. Cardinals have been bland for decades
Throw me in for a year, I’ll do it for just a couple million.