We’ve all noticed that Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera looks relaxed and comfortable this summer. Change can energize everyone. It probably helps that Rivera has gone through an ownership change before.
Therefore, while some would be nervous in Rivera’s situation, he’s just happy to be focused on football — and football only.
After Washington’s first training camp practice Wednesday, Rivera was asked if he felt the positive vibes surrounding the team were solely due to the ownership change.
While Rivera acknowledged that, yes, new ownership is a big reason for the positive vibes, the prospects of fans packing training camp beginning this week has everyone excited.
“I don’t think it’s the sole reason,” Rivera said. “I think it’s all part of it. It’s all part of the excitement. Tomorrow [Thursday] should be even better with the opening of the stands and us having our fan base here. I think it’s gonna be dynamic and electric. I’m excited about it. I really am. I think our players will feed off of it as they fed off today. You know, having Mr. Harris, having Mr. [Mitchell] Rales here, and the players knowing they were here, I think, really helps add to that, and so tomorrow, I’m excited to see it.
Mr. Harris will be here again tomorrow, as will some more of the partnership will be here, so it is an opportunity for our fan base and our players to really kind of get a little bit of interaction going. It should be fun.”
LIVE: Coach Rivera speaks to the media after Day 1 of training camp https://t.co/m0zPki1K5l
— Washington Commanders (@Commanders) July 26, 2023
It’s refreshing to see Rivera this happy. Regardless of what you think of his coaching decisions and his record, no coach has had to deal with what he has over the past three years. He deserves a clean slate after having to answer every question he faced about the organization over things that occurred long before he and his players did.
Washington’s training camp looks like a professional outlet this summer. The new bleachers are nice. And something about the fans packing camp always excites the players. They feel the energy. And the ownership change has really rejuvenated the fan base.
