Ron Rivera ‘Fired Up’ To Finally Focus On Football

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera expressed his relief over the end of constant controversies surrounding the team on Tuesday.

There had been a palpable, celebratory air of relief around the Commanders since Friday when Josh Harris introduced himself.

Washington’s new owner finalized the purchase of the franchise from Dan Snyder, heralding a new era. Commanders fans gathered en masse to celebrate during Friday’s introductory press conference.

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“I think it’s pretty exciting. You can already feel the impact,” Ron Rivera said. “A lot of it has to do with, really, just the reaction from the fanbase more so than anything else. I think our guys have also felt it; they felt it, again from the reaction of the fanbase.

“A lot of it I think has to do with the feeling that so many people are behind us,” Ron Rivera added. 

“It was … it was different, having to deal with stuff outside of football. Now it’s about football. Like I said, we’re gonna focus in on what’s important to us and that’s playing the game. I’m fired up about that, I am.”

“I did (wonder) every time I came in and had to answer your questions that weren’t football-related what it would be like just talking about football,” Rivera said.

“And that’s what’s exciting about it for me personally.”

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“The last few years, I honestly felt more like a manager. Trying to manage things and stuff like that. And try to keep everybody on task and on focus, in terms of the game.

“Oh, most certainly. I’ve got a lot to prove,” Rivera said. “I really do think we’ve put ourselves in a really good position. I think we’re a good young football team with some key veterans in key positions, and now is the opportunity to go. And yeah, I do feel that I want to prove some stuff.”