Carolina Panthers' Ron Rivera wins Coach of the Year
 

Carolina Panthers' Ron Rivera wins Coach of the Year
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By Chris Wesseling
Around the League Writer
Published: Feb. 1, 2014 at 06:56 p.m.

NEW YORK -- Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera was announced as the 2013 Associated Press Coach of the Year at Saturday's "NFL Honors" awards ceremony.

Rivera faced stiff competition from the Chiefs' Andy Reid, the Eagles' Chip Kelly, the Seahawks' Pete Carroll, the Patriots' Bill Belichick and the Cardinals' Bruce Arians.

After entering the season on the hot seat, Rivera turned his Carolina career around in October by embracing a newfound aggressive philosophy.

Rivera's penchant for gambling on key fourth downs earned him the moniker "Riverboat Ron," galvanized his team and injected life into a stale organization.

This football epiphany gave rise to a franchise-record eight-game winning streak that ultimately resulted in 12 wins, the NFC South division title and the Panthers' first playoff appearance since 2008.

The front office promptly rewarded Rivera with a long-term commitment this week, recognizing the gradual improvement reflected in the team's 17-5 record over the past 22 games.

Having established himself as a risk-taker and one of the NFL's premier defensive strategists, Rivera's next challenge is to keep pace with the rest of the NFC superpowers by fostering more creativity in scheme and play-calling on offense. He has three more years to make it happen.

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I don't see how Andy Reid didn't win and I don't understand how Will Shields got overlooked.

Good for Rivera! He was a solid DC for a long time, then got his shot with Carolina and it was basically a make or break year for him. That Carolina defense is super good and if Newton can keep playing consistently they will continue to win a lot of games.

Andy didnt win because this team has 100000 Pro Bowlers and nothing to show for it

Most objective people would think that going 11-5 with a trip to the playoffs the year after being 2-14 and one of the worst teams in the history of the NFL was something to show for it.

Perspective. You need some.

Ron Rivera deserved to win this. I'm not an Andy hater whatsoever. But let's face it, Reid's success was by and large the result of an easier schedule and the fact that he replaced one of the most incompetent head coaches in football history. Rivera turned his own team around and he did it against a pretty tough schedule.

Voting is done when the season is over. Before playoffs start.

Reid was definitely in the running so people did respect what he did.

I know it, but mcaj22 is such a miserable **** he can't even let himself enjoy the turnaround.

Yeah sorry boys, 2-5 in your last 7 ain't gonna get you any hardware. Right, wrong, or indifferent, what you do at the end always out weighs what you do at the beginning. But 11-5 overall was pretty darn good

I'm not miserable about it, I just don't let my homerism get in the way. Ron Rivera was in a tougher division with a team with much lesser talent than what the Chiefs have. There is a valid case for him.

The talent on the Chiefs was here before Andy walked through the door.

This and blowing a 28 point lead doesn't make you a good coach.

I was just about to post that. after that ****ing embarrassing ass game. He doesnt deserve shit.

No attaboys from me. Regular season okness is not good enough.

The Panthers have so much team speed. I certainly don't think they are untalented.

It's kind of a shame that people forget already what a cluster of an organization this was 12 months ago. We literally had one of the best turnaround seasons in the history of the NFL.

Peyton won MVP but we all knew that would happen.

Well at least Chip Kelly didn't win it.

I just can't understand why some people thought Kelly should get it over Reid.

Yeah me neither. If Reid was going to miss out, its good it was to Riviera.

Good for him. Seems like just yesterday that he was close to being fired.

Unless those voters viewed that 2-14 team not that bad, players just packed it in for shitty coaching. Stated already they had how many probowlers last year?


And the choke job in the playoffs probably sealed the deal.

also that fact that we beat what? a Mike Vick led Eagles during the season. Was that our only "quality" (lol) win.

Carolina at least beat the Patriots and the 49ers

Have you ever, even once, looked at the Chiefs in a positive light? I have never seen anything but negativity from you. Ever.

I happened to tune into the event as they awarded Jamaal with "Fantasy Player of the Year".

So, there's that..

Well maybe you should read better, I'm supporting Will Shields being snubbed, that's the Chiefs in a positive light no? The only things I'm negative about is our overrated defense/defensive coordinator. And Jeremy Maclin.

Me not saying Andy Reid was robbed over Ron Rivera does not make me negative. How can you not say Ron was deserving, if it was someone like Chip Kelly over Andy Reid you have a very good snub argument.

Just because I dont have the Chiefs vs the rest of the NFL world like most people do around here when they feel the team deserves everything, doesn't make me a negative fan.

Anybody who doesn't go balls deep on everything the chiefs do is negative as far as you're concerned.

Ths is bullshit Brock, and you know it. Anyone who says anything positive about the team is "balls deep" to you. Childish bullshit.

Andy Reid has a good year, but Ron Rivera deserved it. He went from on the verge of being fired to having a playoff bye week in the same year lol

Pretty much this.

Yes, you are


and how could the talent already be here when Pioli is the worst GM in the history of the universe?

Carolina is always going to need a coach who can keep Cam focused. Rivera did a good job of that for most of the year.

As encouraged as I am about the future of this team, and I've said as much over and ****ing over and over again ad nauseam, the moment we lost in the playoffs after blowing the 2nd largest lead in NFL playoff history, I instantly stopped giving a **** if Andy ****ing Reid won any kind of personal award. There is a good chance this team takes a backwards step in year 2 of this regime, and it's going to be a bunch of bitter ass pills I have to swallow to get into 2015 if that's the case. My patience is just wearing so ****ing thin anymore...

This forum is full of emotional, whiny pussies.

its full of fans of a team that historlcally is a ****ing joke. Yes, it will get to people. the team you root and cheer for year in and year our practically your whole life just finds way to embarrass themselves and the fans OVER AND OVER AND OVER. What the **** do you expect? ooh, that's just to bad guys, we will get them next year (for the 44th time).

It sucks when your down in the shitstain bracket with the Cleveland Browns and Detroit Lions. lol during the modern era.

We were in 2012, we weren't in 2013. Stop being such a pussy.

It's the same answer as it was Pioli's last year. Don't support the team. Don't buy anything, don't watch the games. Don't do anything. If it makes you that miserable, then don't support the team. And I don't mean that in a true fan way... doing that is the only way a fan can get their point across.

Rivera was certainly deserving, but his team only made a three-game improvement in his third year in Carolina.
On a team where his quarterback was already in place.

Reid made a nine-game improvement with a brand new team.

Sure, we can talk about an embarrassing playoff collapse, but we'd have to also talk about the #2 seed in the NFC managing just 10 points in their homefield loss to the Niners.

You live in Hawaii? No wonder you're so optimistic, I would be happy go lucky too if I lived in ****ing paradise. Since the rest of us don't live in Hawaii and most of us live in miserable ass KC leave us alone and let misery enjoy each other's company.

Fine, wallow in your misery.

What a crappy way to live your life....

I know, it's terrible. Go **** a sea turtle.

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Or you're just a middle aged twat that's equally emotional about the fan base as some of the fan base is about the team. But hey, your e-peen is the biggest! You manly, man! ROFL

Fine. You wallow in all of our misery. While living in ****ing Hawaii. And standing on a soap box pretending you're above it all, when in reality you're not. reerun.

The team is on the rise and there is a lot to look forward to, if you aren't so afraid of your feelings that you won't let yourself look forward to it.

As far as Hawaii, I grew up in the KC area. I made the choice to find a place I liked better. I lived on the west coast and east coast before coming to Hawaii 22 years ago. Anyone can do what I did, you just have to do it. When I left KC in 1984 I had nothing but what would fit in my Ford Pinto, and $2000 I borrowed to pay my way there and get an apartment while I looked for a job. If you don't like it where you are all you have to do is move.

We have been since 1970. WE have won 3-4 play off games in the last 44 years. Think about how hard that is to do. thats 1 play off win per 10 years if its a 4, i think we actually have won 3.

As a fan, yes it does make me that miserable that my team is that bad. I dont buy anything Chiefs related and havent in a while. I just order Sunday ticket because i enjoy football and i enjoy watching other teams play as well. Hell, my favorite all time players arent even Chiefs well cept for 1. They are from 2 completely different teams Erik Dickerson and Barry Sanders. Chiefs player would be DT.

I just realize that the KC Chiefs are down in the shitstain bracket as i said as far as post season success since 1970 and thats all that really matters anyways.

What part of the "voting is done before playoffs start" don't people get?

It's also full of dipshits like you that don't understand that regular seasons mean jack.