Ron Rivera gets reprieve from Panthers

The new general manager made it clear at his press conference that he doesn’t plan to make any immediate changes, and head coach Ron Rivera’s job is safe for the time being. Gettleman referenced a recent conversation he had with Rivera, showing his desire to work with the coach:

Gettleman wouldn’t give a firm comment on the Panthers’ financial situation, but he did mention the importance of building through the draft, as opposed to signing high-priced free agents.

Jackson was hired as the Raiders; offensive coordinator in 2010 and led Oakland to the 10th best total offense, a huge jump from 31st the year before. They were ninth in the NFL when he was the head coach in 2011 and this season, after firing Jackson, Oakland dropped to 18th.

In addition to Jackson, Shurmur appears to be a candidate. He was fired by the Browns after the season, opening the position that Chudzinski filled.

The Panthers finished 6-10 in 2011 with rookie quarterback sensation Cam Newton leading the offense, with Carolina appearing to be an improving organization with a big future. Carolina lost six of the first seven games of the season in 2012, however, and despite winning five of the last six the season as a whole was more than disappointing with just a 7-9 record.

As of Monday morning, there were still conflicting reports about Rivera’s status with the team. The Panthers have not made an official announcement.

The decision to fire Rivera would come after he spent just two seasons as the Panthers head coach. Carolina started slow in each of his two seasons, including a 2-8 start this season. The Panthers began last season 2-8 as well before finishing 6-10. Carolina was 13-19 in Rivera’s two seasons. While the Panthers struggled to win games, they lost a number of close contests this season. Of the Panthers nine losses this season, seven were by six points or less.