NFL Notebook: Panthers say Rivera will be back
BY Associated Press
Sunday, January 06, 2013
1/06/13 at 7:34 AM
The Panthers announced on Saturday that coach Ron Rivera will be back next season.
Panthers spokesman Charlie Dayton says Rivera met with owner Jerry Richardson Saturday morning and was told he will be back for a third season.
Dayton says "He's going about normal preparations for next season."
Rivera's status with the Panthers had been up in the air pending a meeting with Richardson on Saturday morning.
Richardson fired GM Marty Hurney after a 1-5 start and informed Rivera at the time that the Panthers needed to be "trending upward" the rest of the season. The Panthers went 6-4 from that point out, including four straight wins to close the season.
Chiefs' Reid already at work assembling staff: A news conference is scheduled for Monday afternoon to announce the Kansas City Chiefs' hiring of Andy Reid as their next head coach, but the work is already beginning for Reid, who takes over a team that was just 2-14.
A person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that Reid had already begun assembling his staff, and the majority of that work could be done soon.
It's expected that Reid will attempt to lure back many names from his best days in Philadelphia, including Pat Shurmur, who was fired as the Cleveland Browns coach on Monday. Shurmur was an assistant with the Eagles from 1999-2008.
Another name that has surfaced is Brad Childress, who was the Browns' offensive coordinator this past season. He worked in Philadelphia from 1999-2005, first as quarterbacks coach and then as offensive coordinator, before taking the head coaching job in Minnesota in 2006.
Doug Pederson, who played ahead of Donovan McNabb during part of the 1999 season, rejoined the Eagles as an assistant coach in 2009 and could stay with Reid in Kansas City.
Juan Castillo reportedly has an offer from Reid to become his offensive line coach. Castillo was successful in that role with Philadelphia, but after struggling in a new role as defensive coordinator, Reid made a difficult decision to fire him earlier this season.
Reid will also have to fill out his front office.
The Chiefs and general manager Scott Pioli agreed to part ways Friday after four tumultuous seasons, and Hunt appears willing to give Reid a significant say in his replacement.
Longtime Packers personnel man John Dorsey, who has turned down overtures from other teams in the past, has been closely linked to Reid in Kansas City. Former Browns GM Tom Heckert, who was a longtime executive in Philadelphia, is also on the list of candidates.
Kansas City has the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft for the first time in franchise history, so there will be pressure to dissect the college football all-star games, visit the pro days hosted by schools, and then prepare for the annual scouting combine
Associated Images:
The Carolina Panthers have announced head coach Ron Rivera will return for a third season in 2013. MEL EVANS / Associated Press
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