4 Most Likely Replacements for Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera Following His Firing

The Carolina Panthers have fired head coach Ron Rivera. He's coached the Panthers since 2011, leading the team to three winning seasons, and one Super Bowl appearance, during his nine-year tenure. The move came after Carolina lost to the Washington Redskins, 29-21, in Week 13.

With uncertainty surrounding Cam Newton's future and a new opening at head coach, Carolina will have plenty of pivotal decisions to make this offseason. Certainly not the least of which will be finding a replacement for Rivera. While Perry Fewell will serve as the interim coach, here are four potential replacements for Rivera.

1. Robert Saleh, Defensive Coordinator, San Francisco 49ers

If you've watched the San Francisco 49ers play this year, you've likely taken note of their brash defensive coordinator, Robert Saleh. He's known for more than just his intense sideline celebrations, though. Saleh has been instrumental in taking the 49ers from the fifth-worst scoring defense in 2018, to the second-best unit in 2019. Carolina is the No. 20 defense in the NFL per Football Outsiders' DVOA rankings, and hiring Saleh could help rebuild this Panthers' defense.

2. Greg Roman, Offensive Coordinator, Baltimore Ravens

If Carolina wants an offensive-minded hire, however, there are few better options than Greg Roman. His Baltimore Ravens are scoring 33.8 points per game (PPG) this season – more than 4.5 PPG more than any other team in the league. In fact, Roman has actually been productive at every stop in his career. The 49ers were a top-12 scoring offense in three of Roman's four seasons as the team's OC, and the Buffalo Bills were a top-12 scoring offense in both of his seasons in Buffalo. Roman is known for building dynamic running games, and he could help maximize Christian McCaffrey's talents. With all the uncertainty at quarterback, Roman's run-heavy offense could also do wonders to take pressure off Carolina's passing game next year.

3. Lincoln Riley, Head Coach, Oklahoma Sooners

While it's not a surefire bet that Newton will be back in Carolina next season, he's likely the Panthers' best option given Kyle Allen's recent play. That's not to take anything away from Allen, it's just that Newton's ceiling is considerably higher. And if the Panthers want to maximize Newton's potential, Lincoln Riley might be their best bet. He just completely revitalized Jalen Hurts' collegiate career, taking him from a backup at Alabama to a Heisman contender at Oklahoma, and his innovative attack could really help return Newton to an MVP level (provided he can stay on the field).

4. Mike McCarthy, Former Head Coach, Green Bay Packers

It can be hard to separate Mike McCarthy's success from Aaron Rodgers' in Green Bay. Even so, it's hard to take away much from McCarthy, who has a career 125-77-2 record, including a Super Bowl victory, during his 13-year tenure with the Packers. He led Green Bay to nine playoff appearances in 13 tries, and coaches with his pedigree don't come along too often. With Carolina's future looking murky, hiring McCarthy could help the Panthers establish a new and potentially improved offensive identity come next season.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.