Was the Bears Loss the End for Ron Rivera?

[Boone]

We've assumed that a new owner would want to clean house and install his own staff. But the possibility always existed that, with a surprisingly successful season, the Harris group might decide to retain the existing coaching staff after 2023.

Did the Bears loss cement the exit of Ron Rivera and his staff and a new regime in 2024?

 

[Chris]

Looking at the remaining schedule I don’t see a path to even the last playoff spot barring a miracle.

 

[Neophyte]

I think these guys will find a way to turn this around, at least through the middle of the season and threaten for a playoff spot. Might make it in.

However, I don't think RR survives. I felt like he only had a sliver of a chance as it was but looking at Magic's face Thursday night, I think I know which way he is leaning.

 

[Solitary Man]

It’s the inexplicably long leash for Del Rio and that reactive non-attacking defense for me. Enough.

 

[Canadian Hog]

The one thing I will say about Rivera is that to his credit, he has seemingly always been able to hold the locker room together. When you come out at the start of the third quarter against Chicago and say that the players were left to iron things out among themselves at halftime, i think we are starting to see the first clues that maybe this group has started to lose faith in Ron's leadership as well. I know that this shouldn't even really be a talking point anymore, and I apologize for even bringing it up, but if you asked all those players at Philly if they should have tried to win the game on a two-point conversion at the end, to a man, almost the entire roster would have said yes. The team was deflated Thursday and it showed, and it is a head coach's responsibility to pick them up off the mat. While the players won't say it publicly, I think Ron has lost this group, and I am afraid that things might start to spiral here. I hope I am completely wrong.

 

[Boone]

I think we have enough team leaders on this roster to ensure they don’t completely implode. A bounce back to make the playoffs seems unlikely, but it has in most years at this point in the season. I’m doubtful as Chris is that we can turn it around convincingly enough to get to the post-season but I don’t expect them to fold up and lie down either.

The X factor though is Rivera being ‘dead coach walking’. That is a situation we haven’t been in during the past 3 seasons.

 

[Kel Varnsen]

I’ll stand by the position I had since we heard of the sale. Rivera has to get to the playoffs to survive. But it can’t be a 8-9 playoff birth. It would have to be double digit wins and a playoff win or very competitive in a loss. Limping in, getting in by default, that won’t do it. I think games like Thursday remind the new owners how much work still has to be done. This is fully Ron’s team at this point, so the blame falls squarely on him. Likewise, if they rally and win some games they shouldn’t and have a big run to the playoffs, he will get the credit. So I still see a scenario where he can keep his job. I just don’t think it’s likely they can hit that scenario.

 

[burgold]

I'll say "no," but I think he's reaching the coaching version of needing to complete a Hail Mary and maybe a Hail Mary, a successful onside kick, and subsequent score to keep his job.

I bet the Chicago game probably felt a lot to Harris like the game in which the Redskins beat the Panthers which led to his midseason ouster. Difference was I guess that was later in the season and the year was basically lost and this season is still young and we're still in contention (recordwise)

 

[Primus Porcus]

I'm hoping he never had a chance, simply because of the fact that Harris and Co. dont approve of the current front office setup. The lack of a traditional GM / HC relationship and that Rivera in the guy to be the Grand Poobah

 

[SkinsOrlando]

I think it would've taken a deep playoff run for even a smidgen of consideration from Harris and co. to consider bringing Rivera back, his future was set before week 1 imo. You don't pay 6 billion dollars for a team with almost no history of winning in two decades and keep things the status quo, Harris needs a ROI and that's means a winning team, that can sell out for years and merch that flows out the doors like it's on fire.

 

[Henry]

if things go as they have the previous three seasons, we’ll lose next week and then again against the atrocious Giants. Then we will miraculously beat the previously undefeated Eagles with stunning defensive effort. The defense will play all-world football for the next three games. We will be 6-5 and talking playoffs. Then the team will suddenly start faltering. Some injury will happen that will excuse things at first, but eventually it’s obvious that whatever mojo led us to that mid-season surge has run out. We end up winning 7-8 games and just missing the playoffs.

And that, my friends, will be that for Ron Rivera.

I hope I’m wrong for once.

 

[DixieFlatline]

I'm hoping he never had a chance, simply because of the fact that Harris and Co. dont approve of the current front office setup. The lack of a traditional GM / HC relationship and that Rivera in the guy to be the Grand Poobah

This is where I am. Maybe they make Mayhew the traditional role of GM or bring someone in and even if they like Ron, I doubt he wants to lose more responsibilities.

 

[Boone]

It’s hard to know what kind of job Mayhew has done with Rivera there. I’ve seen some draft room footage where (at least to me) Mayhew seemed to be pushing Rivera to make moves and Rivera sort of shut him down.

But I tend to think it will be a big clean sweep and we will likely be starting over with a new group from top to bottom. I hope that’s what they do.

 

[Neophyte]

I find it interesting that to date there have not been any recognized "football" people in the owner's booth with Josh and Co.

Granted, the season is early yet.