4 Washington Commanders coaching candidates to replace Ron Rivera, including Jim Harbaugh

The Washington Commanders hired head coach Ron Rivera in 2020 to bring stability to an organization in disarray. With a new ownership group now at the helm and a coaching change possible, it’s time to start evaluating Commanders coaching candidates.

Rivera initially found success in Washington. The Commanders went 7-9 in 2020, making the playoffs and playing the eventual Super Bowl champions close in a 31-23 loss in the Wild Card round. It seemed like a fantastic sign for the franchise’s future.

However, there’s never really been any improvement ever since. Washington went 7-10 in 2021 then 8-8-1 last season, missing the playoffs each time. With the Commanders seemingly doubtful to make the postseason in 2023, Rivera’s future seems grim.

Keeping that in mind, we’ll evaluate some of the top Washington Commanders coaching candidates to replace Ron Rivera in 2024. 4 Washington Commanders coaching candidates to replace Ron Rivera, including Jim Harbaugh

Many believe it’s only a matter of time until Lincoln Riley leaves the USC Trojans. He’s already on the NFL’s radar and owners have a habit of pursuing high-profile coaching candidates. While the new Commanders’ brass is far more stable than their predecessor, that doesn’t guarantee they won’t go big-game hunting.

Riley’s track record speaks for itself. From 2017-’21 with the Oklahoma Sooners, he posted a combined 55-10 record. NFL teams like the dominant record, but what stands out even more is Riley’s work with quarterbacks.

Under his tutelage, Baker Mayfield (2017) and Kyler Murray (2018) each won the Heisman Trophy. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts finished as a Heisman runner-up and Riley is widely credited with helping all three quarterbacks develop into NFL starters.

Even if the Commanders won’t be in a position to pair Riley with Caleb Williams, hiring the Trojans’ head coach would still be very beneficial. He’s better at adapting offenses around his quarterback and skill players than Eric Bieniemy, plus he could mentor whatever quarterback Washington takes with its top pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.