NFL news: Ron Rivera agrees to coach Redskins, reports say

Former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera is said to have accepted the Washington Redskins coaching job.

By Staff and wire reports

Dec. 31, 2019 12:04 PM PT

Ron Rivera has agreed to become the Washington Redskins head coach, according to multiple media reports.

Rivera, who was fired earlier this month after nearly nine seasons as the Carolina Panthers coach, will be getting a five-year deal from the Redskins, according to NFL.com.

The Washington Post reports that Rivera is already working to put together his coaching staff, while the team is “in the process of reconfiguring their front office in a manner that was acceptable to Rivera.”

The Redskins fired longtime team president Bruce Allen on Monday, a day after finishing the season at 3-13.

Doug Marrone will remain Jaguars’ coach

The Jacksonville Jaguars are retaining coach Doug Marrone and general manager Dave Caldwell despite consecutive losing seasons.

Doug Marrone will be back as coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars despite consecutive losing seasons.

Owner Shad Khan made the announcement Tuesday after “positive meetings” with Marrone, Caldwell, their staffs and several players.

“This is not the time to consider an overhaul of our organization,” Khan said.

Marrone and Caldwell have two years remaining on their contracts, and Khan made it clear that expectations were high for 2020.

Jacksonville has two first-round draft picks, Nos. 9 and 20 overall, to help rebuild a roster that lacks talent and depth. Rookies Gardner Minshew, Josh Allen and Jawaan Taylor are a few of the building blocks in place for Marrone and Caldwell moving forward.
But there are plenty of holes, especially if the Jaguars part ways with several expensive veterans to create salary cap space.

Khan fired top executive Tom Coughlin two weeks ago, citing the old-school coach’s overbearing ways as the main problem. Coughlin’s position as executive vice president of football operations will not be filled. Marrone and Caldwell will report directly to Khan.

“I want to see what we produce under a new organizational structure in 2020,” Khan said. “Goals have been established. Accountability will be paramount.”

Marrone is 23-28 in three seasons, including 11-21 following a trip to the 2017 AFC title game, and has expressed his frustration with the roster, much of which Coughlin put together.

Jacksonville signed former Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles to a four-year, $88-million deal during the offseason.

Foles broke his left collarbone in the opener, missed eight games and was benched in his third game back. Minshew was one of several bright spots, going 6-6 in 12 starts and becoming just the 14th rookie in NFL history — and first drafted after the fourth round — to throw at least 20 touchdowns passes.

Browns part ways with GM John Dorsey

The Cleveland Browns have parted ways with general manager John Dorsey two days after the team fired coach Freddie Kitchens.

Dorsey’s departure on Tuesday came after he met with owner Jimmy Haslam, who is once again cleaning house after a disappointing 6-10 season.

Dorsey had revamped the Browns during his two seasons as GM, but his hiring of Kitchens backfired as the Browns fell way short of expectations and missed the playoffs for the 17th straight season — the NFL’s longest current drought.

Earlier in the day, the Browns postponed a scheduled news conference with Dorsey.

The Browns are in the preliminary stages of their coaching search, which will be affected by Dorsey leaving. The team has received permission to interview several candidates, including New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman.

Dorsey joined the Browns in December 2016 after previous stints in Green Bay and Kansas City and immediately began overhauling a roster lacking talent and a front office with no direction.

Dorsey made several astute moves and his decision to draft quarterback Baker Mayfield No. 1 overall in 2018 looked like a winner when the QB broke the league rookie record for touchdown passes. Mayfield, though, regressed in his second year under Kitchens, who Dorsey favored over other candidates a year ago despite his lack of head coaching experience.

Mitch Trubisky is the Bears’ 2020 starter

The Chicago Bears remain committed to Mitchell Trubisky as their starting quarterback despite his struggles this season, general manager Ryan Pace said on Tuesday.

Pace stopped short of saying the Bears will exercise their fifth-year option on him and did not rule out bringing in an experienced veteran who could push for the starting job. But he made it clear the Bears expect Trubisky to open next season as their No. 1 quarterback.

“Mitch is our starter,” Pace said. “We believe in Mitch and we believe in the progress that he’s gonna continue to make.”

The Bears were banking on Trubisky taking another big step in his third year in the NFL and second in coach Matt Nagy’s system. But instead of emerging as a top-tier quarterback, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2017 draft took a step back.

Chicago went 8-8 after winning the NFC North at 12-4 and missed the playoffs for the eighth time in nine years, certainly not what the Bears envisioned. They came in with Super Bowl hopes, only to fall out of the playoff running in the early going. And now, they’re trying to pick up the pieces rather than prepare for the postseason run they had been expecting ever since they got knocked out in a gut-wrenching wild-card loss to Philadelphia last year.

“We won the division last year. You saw it,“ Pace said.

That’s why he believes the Bears can bounce back next season even though they have no plans to change the quarterback or the play-caller, with Nagy retaining those duties. But he also acknowledged there is work to do.

“Our heads are not in the sand, like, `Everything’s fine, we’re 8-8,’“ he said.