This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Enigmaman (talk | contribs) at 21:15, 19 February 2007 (→Back in Chicago). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 21:15, 19 February 2007 by Enigmaman (talk | contribs) (→Back in Chicago)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) American football player| Career history | |
|---|---|
| Chicago Bears | |
Record at Pro Football Reference  | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference |
Ronald Eugene Rivera (born January 7, 1962 in Fort Ord, California) is the first American of Puerto Rican and Mexican descent to play in the NFL (National Football League). He was a member of the 1985 Chicago Bears, who won Super Bowl XX.
Early years
Rivera was born to a Puerto Rican father and a Mexican mother. His father joined the Army and was a commissioned officer stationed in California where Ron was born. As a result of his father's military service, Rivera had to travel and was educated in military bases in Germany, Panama, Washington and Maryland. Finally his family moved to central California where he attended Seaside High School, where he first started playing football.
Rivera was granted a college scholarship and played for the Golden Bears at the University of California, Berkeley. He was an All-American linebacker who once held his school's all-time sack record and was first in career tackles. Rivera still holds the Cal record for most tackles for-a-loss in a season in 1983.
Sports career
Playing career
In the 1984 NFL Draft, Rivera was a second round choice draft pick for the Chicago Bears, becoming the first Puerto Rican to play in the NFL. During the 1985 Season, Rivera played in Super Bowl XX, where the Bears beat the New England Patriots, 46-10. He thus became the first Puerto Rican to play in a Super Bowl Championship Team. Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons (1984-1992). He also participated in the Super Bowl Shuffle, a rap music video the Bears made.
Coaching career
In 1993, Rivera went to work for a WGN-TV and SportsChannel in Chicago as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football. In 1996, he became a defense quality control coach for the Bears.
Philadelphia Eagles
In 1999, Rivera was named linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles. During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC (National Football Conference) Championships for three consecutive seasons. He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter into a two-time Pro Bowl performer.
Back in Chicago
On January 23, 2004, Rivera was named the Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator, becoming the first Puerto Rican in the history of the NFL to hold such a position. In 2005, the Chicago Bears defense was second-rated in the NFL. The Bears qualified for the NFC playoffs losing in the 2nd Round to the Carolina Panthers 29-21. The 2005 season output of the Chicago Bears has earned him consideration for Head Coach assignments from several NFL teams.
In 2006, the Bears’ defensive efforts failed to match the success of their 2005 season. Nevertheless, the team was still a notable presence in league., finishing with the league’s third ranked and conference’s top-ranked points allowed category. The defense’s success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches. The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers interviewed him in January of 2007. He was a candidate for the vacant Dallas Cowboys head coaching position, a job that ultimately went to San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. Rivera was been named as a potential candidate to replace the fired Marty Schottenheimer in San Diego, but the job was filled by Norv Turner, the brother of fellow offensive coordinator, Ron Turner. After the announcement, ESPN reported that the Bears were considering letting Rivera go. This came after several other teams interviewed him, and the negotiations between his representatives and the Bears were making little progress.
On February 19, 2007, it was announced that Ron Rivera's contract with the Bears would not be renewed.
Personal life
Ron Rivera is married and has two children (Christopher, 20 & Courtney, 13) with his wife Stephanie, an assistant coach for the WNBAs Washington Mystics. In 2003 Rivera was inducted into the Division 1-A College Football Hall of Fame. He is also a member of the California Sports Hall of Fame.
| Preceded byGreg Blache | Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinators 2004-2006 |
Succeeded byCurrent Coordinator |