Played college football at the University of California.
Linebacker with the Chicago Bears, 1984-1992.
Head coach of the NFL's Carolina Panthers, 2011-2019.
Inducted into the University of California Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994.
He is just the third Latino head coach in NFL history, joining
Tom Flores with the Oakland Raiders from 1979-87 and
Seattle Seahawks from 1992-94 and Tom Fears with the
New Orleans Saints from 1967-70.
Selected in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft by Chicago,
Rivera played all nine of his pro seasons with the
Bears.
Rivera gained his first coaching experience with the Bears
as defensive quality control coach from 1997 98.
His older brother Mickey Rivera died after a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer in 2015.
Head coach of the NFL's Washington Football Team/Washington Commanders, 2020-2024.