I wanted to break this story as soon as it broke but I had a video session with my shrink #notashamed so it had to go on the back-burner...sorry Brandon Flowers.
As the dust settles I still am pretty shocked. Ron Rivera did not deserve to get fired before the year ends. Riverboat deserved better!
How is Riverboat/Analytical Ron the second coach to get the ax in 2019? I know losing to the Redskins this year is BAD, especially considering they were the first team to fire their coach, but WOW. The Panthers were playing okay football with a back-up QB whose hands that would make Uncle Jack Kelly feel like Andre the Giant and a kicker that belongs in Limp Bizkit. 
5-7 isn't horrible considering the circumstances. They were 5-3 but I feel like that's more because of Jared Allen not being the guy/Joey Slye.
How is Dan Quinn still employed by an NFC South franchise and Ron Rivera isn't??!?!
In 8+ seasons in Carolina, Ron Rivera was a good to above good head coach. Riverboat went 76-63-1 with four playoff appearances, 3 NFC South titles and won the 2015 NFC Championship. Ron Rivera was also a two-time AP Coach of the Year. From 2012-2015 he and Bruce Arians played hot potato with the semi-meaningless award. 
Sorry to all the DOL readers in Charlotte, but I feel like Carolina is one of those nothing franchises. 
Sure they've won the NFC twice, but they're still under 30 years old. They have a 1-15 year in the mix. Been to the playoffs 8 times (respectableish) and play in North Carolina. Not a state known for it's professional sports. If you were power-ranking the 32 NFL teams based on prestige the Panthers are easily in the bottom quarter of the rankings. My point is maybe they should've appreciated what they had?
Now I'm not a Carolina Panthers fan, I don't watch them every week, I know sometimes coaches can lose the locker room/fill in cliche here. This is purely as an outsider NFL fan....I don't understand this move. Ron Rivera's pretty much as good as its gonna get for the Carolina Panthers. This feels like making a move just to make a move. Under new ownership this move in a way has always been in play. Sometimes that works but IMO is not the best way to run a professional sports franchise; change for change's sake. I wouldn't be shocked if we look back in 5 years, the Panthers haven't been above 8-8 and Rivera is perennially leading some other team to the wild card round. With the Bears vastly under-achieving under last year's Coach of the Year, Matt Nagy maybe we could see a former '85 Bear (and former defensive coordinator) go home?
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