On Oct. 6, 2015, I wrote that Atlanta Falcons head coach Dan Quinn was the early front runner to be named the 2015 Coach of the Year. In just a couple of months a lot has changed. With the Falcons in a freefall, Quinn is no longer in the running to win 2015 Coach of the Year.
Ron Rivera is Leader for 2015 NFL Coach of the Year
Some teams have had to deal with injuries to key players or slow starts, and certain coaches have done an impressive job navigating that rough terrain. Bruce Arians has done a great job with the Arizona Cardinals and his aggressive style is paying off, despite having to deal with injuries to some key players, like running back Chris Johnson. New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has his team at 10-2 despite injuries to wide receiver Julian Edelman and tight end Rob Gronkowski, among others. Andy Reid guiding the Kansas City Chiefs to six straight wins after five straight loss is remarkable, and he deserves to mentioned, as do other coaches. But there is one coach who is above the rest right now. Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is the leader to win 2015 NFL Coach of the Year honors.
I honestly didn’t think the Carolina Panthers would win the NFC South, especially when their number one receiver Kelvin Benjamin was lost for the season to a torn ACL before the Panthers had even played a game. But Ron Rivera’s team currently sits at 12-0 and they are the only team thus far to punch a playoff ticket. Riverboat Ron has done three things really well this season.
First, he has worked better with general manager Dave Gettleman than many other head coaches work with their front office personnel. It is incredibly difficult for a team to function at a high level if there is a lot of dysfunction. When a head coach and general manager are on the same page, it helps to set the correct tone for the entire team and organization.
Second, Rivera earned the nickname Riverboat Ron by no longer playing it safe. Instead he began to take very calculated risks in close games, particularly on fourth downs. This new, aggressive philosophy has definitely benefited the Panthers, and Rivera deserves credit for recognizing he could no longer play it safe and by the book.
Third, and perhaps most importantly, Rivera has tailored the Panthers, and in particular their offense, to quarterback Cam Newton’s strengths. I have been critical of Newton in the past, and I still am wary of truly believing a team can win a Super Bowl with him at the helm. But the former Auburn Tiger is having an MVP caliber season, and much of that credit should go to his head coach. Rivera and the Panthers coaching staff recognized the strengths of Newton’s game and structured the team to utilize those strengths.
The former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback is big and athletic, but he doesn’t excel at throwing outside the numbers. So Rivera and the Panthers don’t ask Newton to win games like that, and it has paid off. Newton won’t ever put up numbers like Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, but Rivera has found a way to utilize his quarterback’s talents to help the team win. The various coaches who have been at the helm of the Washington Redskins since the team drafted Robert Griffin III could learn a thing or two from Rivera.
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