The Washington Commanders entered the season with high expectations, but fell short yet again.
Despite the hiring of former Kansas City Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Eric Bieniemy and the hope surrounding quarterback Sam Howell, Washington finished with a 4-13 record, the fourth-straight losing season for head coach Ron Rivera.
On Monday morning, the team announced what almost everyone in NFL circles believed would be inevitable.
Rivera has been fired as the Washington Commanders head coach..
Washington Commanders Make Significant Move To Find Ron Rivera’s Replacement
In a report from ESPN Monday morning, it was announced new Commanders owner Josh Harris is taking significant steps to ensure he finds the right coach to turn the franchise around.
Josh Harris has hired two prominent executives — former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman — to assist his ownership group with searches for a new head of football operations and head coach, team officials told ESPN.
Myers, the architect of four championships with the Warriors and a current ESPN NBA analyst, and Spielman, a 30-year NFL front-office executive, will work with Harris and his limited partners Mitch Rates, Magic Johnson and David Blitzer as part of an advisory committee designed to reshape the Commanders’ front office and coaching staff, team officials told ESPN.
In a search that will commence immediately to find the replacement for Ron Rivera, Myers will take a lead role in identifying and coordinating interviews with candidates for the top football operations and head-coaching jobs, with Spielman set to work closely with him, officials said.
According to ESPN, the allure of the Washington Commanders’ job openings will be aided by a No. 2 overall pick in a quarterback-rich 2024 draft, and a projected salary cap space that is among the most in the NFL this offseason.
Harris will be closely involved in the search processes, but his longstanding relationship with Myers — a two-time NBA executive of the year — evolved in recent months and convinced the owner that Myers’ championship résumé and industry relationships could play a significant role in building Washington’s new leadership structure.
The Commanders current front office, including general manager Martin Mayhew, and Executive VP of Football/Player Personnel Marty Hurney, will remain on staff through the search process, officials said. The new head of football operations and head coach will determine their long-term futures with the Washington Commanders, team officials told ESPN.
The new Washington Commanders owner is clearly taking an innovative approach to ensure the coach he hires to replace Ron Rivera is the right one.
“This is a crucial offseason for us, and we won’t shy away from the work needed to get back to a place where we can deliver a winning culture top to bottom,” Harris said in a statement shared to ESPN. “…I’ve known Bob a long time and watched him construct four championship teams and a highly successful organization in Golden State…He is innovative, thoughtful, well-connected across sports and understands what it takes to solidify and sustain championship infrastructure. I think he’s going to be incredibly additive.”
Myers stepped down as GM of the Warriors in June – concluding with four championships in his final eight years on the job. The Warriors reached the NBA Finals six times in Myers’ 11 seasons as GM, losing only to Toronto (2019) and Cleveland (2016). Myers led the Warriors’ 2016 free agent pursuit of Kevin Durant, who was part of two titles with the Warriors before tearing an Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals.
Myers was hired as an assistant GM in 2011 and promoted to GM in 2012, and outside of Steph Curry’s arrival predating his own, had overseen two Curry contract extensions, drafts, trades and signings that sculpted one of the league’s modern dynasties. Myers was a prominent player agent prior to joining the Warriors’ front office in 2011.
“I have been fortunate to know Josh Harris for many years and his commitment to building championship-caliber teams is what drew me here,” Myers said in a statement. “In my experience, championship infrastructure begins with a strong ownership group that prioritizes culture and invests in attracting the industry’s most talented and innovative leaders…This is the type of opportunity that really inspires me, and I look forward to contributing to the next chapter of this storied franchise.”
Spielman – who had been the Vikings GM for nine years until leaving in 2021 – has 30 years of NFL front office experience.
The Washington Commanders have officially made steps toward competing for championships again. Despite Ron Rivera’s wide respect in the locker room and around the league, the NFL is about winning. If Harris gets this hire right, the pieces are in place for a hopeful future in D.C.
