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5 Coaching Candidates if Cleveland Browns move on from Freddie Kitchens

By Justice Sunderland

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers watches his team play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of their preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - AUGUST 29: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers watches his team play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first half of their preseason game at Bank of America Stadium on August 29, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers calls a time out against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 24: Head coach Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers calls a time out against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter in the game at Mercedes Benz Superdome on November 24, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

3. Ron Rivera

This may be the coach that can command the most respect in the locker room because he has what they are all chasing, a Super Bowl ring as a player which Rivera won a linebacker on one of the greatest defenses of all time the 1985 Chicago Bears.

Ron Rivera also coached in the big game although his Carolina Panthers were blown out. So he has had success in this league and players respect that.

Rivera was recently fired by the Panthers after nine seasons as their head coach. He went 76-63 including a 15-1 season that included an NFC championship. That was just in 2015 so these players probably remember it.

Rivera is another coach who’s specialty is defense. He was the defensive coordinator for some of the great Bears’ defenses in the early 2000s including 2006 when they went to the Super Bowl.

In Carolina, he never had the talent on defense that he would have if he was hired by the Browns. Offenses change in NFL, defenses don’t change very much over time which is why Rivera’s defenses are always one of the most respected in the league.

He was fired by the Panthers but it may not have been entirely because of his performance. They are under new ownership and a new owner usually wants to bring in their own coach and Rivera was hired by the old ownership.

He also lost is franchise quarterback, Cam Newton, after two weeks. They did go on a winning streak after that but it is hard to sustain success with an inexperienced quarterback.

Unlike Mike McCarthy, Rivera is ready to hop right back into coaching. With the amount of experience he has he won’t come cheap but he may be able to best relate to the players because he was a player.

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