Upon being hired from the Washington Redskins, Ron Rivera will have to fill out his staff.
And according to a report, he has his eye on a big name for defensive coordinator.
Former Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio is the “leading candidate” to become the Redskins’ next defensive coordinator and join Rivera’s staff, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Soon-to-be Redskins’ HC Ron Rivera is expected to target former Jaguars’ and Raiders’ HC Jack Del Rio as his new defensive coordinator in Washington, per sources. He is the leading candidate.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2019
Del Rio, 56, had been out of football for the last two years, but is a well-established defensive coach. He has only served as a defensive coordinator twice in his career. His most recent stint in the position was as the Denver Broncos’ defensive coordinator from 2012 to 2014.
But Del Rio is more known for his time as the head coach of the Raiders and the Jaguars.
As a coach, he went 93-94 across 12 seasons. His most recent job was with the Raiders, lasting three seasons until being fired after the 2017 season.
The Ron Rivera-Jack Del Rio team in Washington will be a strong one. In 2002, Del Rio took over the league’s worst defense in Carolina and turned it into the NFL’s second-ranked unit; in 2012 he took Broncos from 20th-ranked defense to second.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 31, 2019
More recently, Del Rio has been a football analyst for ESPN.
Rivera’s former defensive coordinator in Carolina, Steve Wilks, was rumored to be an option, but ESPN’s John Keim reported that is not going to happen. Wilks serves as the Browns’ defensive coordinator, but could be be let go soon as Cleveland has already fired coach Freddie Kitchens.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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