As of Tuesday, seven NFL head coach openings have been filled.
The last three left to be filled are the Arizona Cardinals, Cleveland browns and Las Vegas Raiders. And, surprisingly, former Washington Commanders and Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera interviewed for the Cardinals job, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.
This flew under the radar!
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) January 27, 2026
The Arizona Cardinals interviewed former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera in person for their head coaching vacancy, per source.
Rivera currently serves as the general manager for Cal football.
Rivera is a 2-time AP Coach of the Year who spent nine seasons with the Panthers, including taking them to the Super Bowl with Cam Newton.
Rivera then spent four seasons as the Commanders’ coach before being fired following the 2023 campaign. Rivera’s career record is 102-103-2 as a head coach, so he brings a lot of experience to the table.
On Tuesday, the Jacksonville Jaguars announced that defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile was returning to the team, and he had interviewed for the Cardinals HC job as well.
Rivera took the 2024 season off, but he landed a new job and was hired by the California football program to be the GM.
The Cardinals brought in Los Angeles Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur for an interview, but adding Rivera to the mix is an interesting choice for the franchise.
It remains to be seen which direction the Cardinals go in, but there should be some clarity on the head coach front sometime in the near future.
