Jets complete interview with Ron Rivera for head coaching job

The Jets announced they have completed an interview with Ron Rivera for the vacant head coaching position.

Rivera was most recently the head coach of the Commanders from 2020-23 where he had a 26-40-1 record and made the playoffs his first season with the team. Before that, Rivera served as the Panthers head coach from 2011-19 and was named NFL coach of the year in 2013 and ’15.

He led Carolina to the playoffs seven times, including a Super Bowl appearance in 2015 after going 15-1 in the regular season.

Before he was a head coach, Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the Chargers (2008-10) and for the Bears (2004-06). He earned the Pro Football Writers of America assistant coach of the year in ’05.

Rivera, 62, began his coaching career with the Bears, the team that drafted him in the second round out of Cal in 1984. He then went to the Eagles as their linebackers coach (1999-2003) under current Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, where he overlapped with seven future head coaches.

Jets chairman Woody Johnson is leading the searches for a head coach and General Manager. He hired The 33rd Team in a support role to help identify and vet candidates in addition to coordinate interviews. Jeff Ulbrich and Phil Savage are serving as the team’s interim head coach and General Manager, respectively.