Ron Rivera held his introductory press conference Thursday afternoon, and he made a huge impression on Redskins fans, including me.
To start, the owner Dan Snyder opened up the presser stating, “What the Redskins needed, is a culture change”. Coming off of former President Bruce Allen saying back in October that the culture is “damn good”, Snyder has owned up to what has transpired under his ownership, and he is willing to change in order to create a better organization.
“We’re going to have one voice, and one voice alone.”
-Dan Snyder
Snyder emphasized that he will not undermine his head coach, and he is going to let the Rivera run the team the way the head coach feels is needed, further allowing Rivera to do his job.
From start to finish, Coach Rivera made his intentions known that he means all business. He acknowledged that this is going to be a challenge, but when asked why he believes this will work, “Because I believe in me, I’ll bet on me, and we’ll see what happens”. He also made it very known that he has no interest in a five-year rebuild.
Rivera also said that he was not taking the job for the money, stating that he could’ve met with other teams that had openings and leveraged more money on his deal, but felt this situation was the best fit for him. He also said he and Snyder were in contact the Friday after he was let go in Carolina.
One of Rivera’s bigger points was that he watched six games worth of film, and has notes about every player on the roster. One reason he had interest in this Redskins job was the young, raw talent on the roster, and he sees the potential this team has. The former Panthers head coach knows the ins and outs of this roster, along with which players can and cannot help him going forward.
“What is my main goal for the team? To win the Super Bowl”
-Ron Rivera
Attention to detail is key for this team to succeed. He talked to Dan in person for a total of 35 hours, breaking down every aspect of the organization, piece by piece. They broke down their goals for the organization and how they are going to get there. Coach Rivera has a military background and is all for accountability and discipline. He wants the communication and continuity from top to bottom.
He would not have taken this job if he didn’t get what he wanted. Rivera has the power that he needs to become a successful head coach for this franchise into it the right place. He is the right man for what the Redskins need to do: change the culture and create one that focusing on not only winning, but doing things the right way. Having a family-oriented culture and locker room is something that Rivera believes in.
Many found his answer about QB Dwayne Haskins quite interesting. When asked about him, Rivera answered: “I see him being a franchise QB”, but he also stated that just because he is a first-round pick, that doesn’t mean you are just given anything, you must earn it. This old-school mindset is what the Redskins need. It does not matter where you were drafted, how much money you make, or even who you are, you must earn everything and work hard for it.
This is a good thing for Haskins. He sometimes lacked discipline as a young QB, but being young does not excuse you from making mistakes. Don’t expect any selfies with fans when there’s still time on the clock, and if there is, expect a short tenure for the former Buckeye.