Rivera eager to return Redskins to glory: 'We've got to study that history'
Ron Rivera spoke to the media for the first time as head coach of the Washington Redskins on Thursday, expressing his excitement for the start a special time in his career.
"There are only 32 (head coaches in the NFL) at any one given time, and these jobs are scarce. But this one, the Washington Redskins, this one's special," Rivera said in his introductory press conference. "This is one of the almost original teams, started in 1932. There's a lot of history behind this football team."
The Redskins were once one of the NFL's most dominant clubs. They made four Super Bowl appearances between 1982 and 1992, winning three titles. But Washington hasn't made the playoffs since 2015 and has posted a 25-38-1 record since. The NFC East club last won a postseason game in 2005.
"In order for us to get back to where we want to be, we've got to study that history, embrace that history and prepare to repeat that history," Rivera said. "Because if not, we're doomed to repeat the most recent history. And we're not gonna do that, guys. We really aren't."
Rivera is the 29th head coach in Washington history, joining the franchise on a reported five-year deal. The 57-year-old said his decision to accept the Redskins' offer wasn't related to money and revealed how owner Dan Snyder ultimately persuaded him to come aboard.
"If I wanted the money, I'd still be out there trying to pit a couple of teams against each other," he said. "I took this job for one simple reason, one simple reason: because Dan Snyder came to me with a very interesting perspective.
"For weeks, he's explored the reasons why some teams win and some teams don't. He told me the common factor in that transitional success of teams like the Patriots, the Seahawks, and the Chiefs ... was the decision to take it and make it a coach-centered approach."
A two-time Coach of the Year, Rivera amassed a 79-67-1 record (including playoffs) with the Carolina Panthers from 2011-19 before his firing in December. He led the Panthers to an appearance in Super Bowl 50.