Owner Josh Harris of the Washington Commanders has made major changes to the football team’s leadership after coach Ron Rivera was fired on Monday. According to team officials, Harris has brought in two illustrious executives to help with the hunt for a new head coach and director of football operations: former general manager of the Golden State Warriors, Bob Myers, and former general manager of the Minnesota Vikings, Rick Spielman.
Rivera, who joined the Commanders in 2020, was in charge of choosing the team’s front staff and had final say over all football decisions. After finishing with a terrible 4-13 record this year, the Commanders were unable to secure a winning record in the following seasons, even though they had won the NFC East title with a 7-9 record in his first season.
Rivera released a message in which he recognized the team’s flaws while also expressing thanks for the supporters’ persistent support. Harris expressed gratitude to Rivera for his leadership but stressed that a change in strategy was necessary in view of the poor performance this season.
During the hunt, the team’s current front office, which consists of executive vice president of football/player personnel Marty Hurney and general manager Martin Mayhew, will stay in place. Their long-term standing with the Commanders will be decided by the next head coach and head of football operations.
Including Myers and Spielman, Harris has established an advisory council with limited partners Mitch Rales, Magic Johnson, and David Blitzer. The coaching staff and front office of the Commanders will be significantly changed by this committee.
The head coaching and head football operations search will be headed by Myers, an architect for the Golden State Warriors, who won four NBA championships. Myers is now an NBA commentator for ESPN. Working closely with Myers on this project will be Spielman, a 30-year NFL front-office veteran.
The Commanders’ anticipated salary cap space of substantial and the possibility of owning the No. 2 choice in the quarterback-heavy 2024 draft adds to the team’s attraction. Harris stressed the need to recruit quickly but carefully, with the goal of achieving elite team status and long-term success.
Harris emphasized the value of Myers’ connections in the industry and championship experience in building Washington’s new leadership structure, citing their lifetime relationship. Myers, who was thrilled about the opportunity and praised Harris for his commitment to building championship-caliber teams, departed his role as general manager of the Warriors in June.
30 years of NFL front-office experience later, in January 2022, Spielman lost his job as general manager of the Vikings. After a run of controversy, instability, and losing seasons, Harris bought the Commanders in May and removed Daniel Snyder with the intention of changing the franchise.
Harris is dedicated to doing the necessary work to rebuild a winning culture inside the Commanders organization as they begin a critical offseason. When considering his time with the team, Rivera expressed confidence in the constructive culture shifts that were started while he was there.
