Ron Rivera Ronald Eugene Rivera ( born January 7 , 1962 ) is an American football coach and former player , and is currently the head coach of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League where he won the 2013 AP NFL Coach of the Year . Rivera played college football for the University of California , and was recognized as an All - American linebacker . He was selected in the second round of the 1984 NFL Draft , and played professionally for the 1985 Chicago Bears , who won Super Bowl XX . As a coach , Rivera was the defensive coordinator for the 2006 Chicago Bears , who won the National Football Conference championship and competed in Super Bowl XLI . Early years . Rivera was born in Fort Ord , California . His father was a Puerto Rican commissioned officer in the United States Army stationed in California . There he met his future wife , Rivera ' s mother , who is of Mexican heritage . As a result of his father ' s military service , Rivera had to travel and was educated in military bases in Germany , Panama , Washington , D . C . , and Maryland . Finally his family moved to Monterey , California . There , he attended Seaside High School , where he first started playing football . Playing career . College career . Rivera was granted a college scholarship and played for the Golden Bears at the University of California , Berkeley . He was a consensus All - American linebacker , leading the team in tackles for his last three years as a player . He once held his school ' s all - time sack and career tackles records . Rivera still holds the Cal record for most tackles for loss in a season , which he set in 1983 . He was the 1983 Lombardi Award Winner as the nation ' s top college football lineman , and the MVP of the 1984 East - West Shrine Game . Pro career . In the 1984 NFL Draft , Rivera was selected in the second round by the Chicago Bears . During the 1985 season , Rivera played in Super Bowl XX , where the Bears beat the New England Patriots , 46 - 10 . He thus became the first Puerto Rican to play on a Super Bowl championship team . He became the starter in 1988 , serving for three seasons . Rivera played for the Bears for a total of nine seasons ( 1984 – 1992 ) . Coaching career . In 1993 , Rivera went to work for WGN - TV and SportsChannel Chicago as a TV analyst covering the Bears and college football . In 1996 , he became a defense quality control coach for the Bears . Philadelphia Eagles . In 1999 , Rivera was named linebackers coach for the Philadelphia Eagles . During his tenure the Eagles advanced to the NFC Championship for three consecutive seasons . He is credited with developing linebacker Jeremiah Trotter into a two - time Pro Bowl performer . Back in Chicago . On January 23 , 2004 , Rivera was named the Chicago Bears Defensive Coordinator . In 2005 , the Chicago Bears defense was rated second - best in the NFL . The Bears qualified for the NFC playoffs losing in the 2nd Round to the Carolina Panthers 29 - 21 . The 2005 performance of the Chicago Bears earned him consideration for Head Coach assignments from several NFL teams . In 2006 , the Bears ’ defensive efforts failed to match the success of their 2005 season . Nevertheless , the team was still a notable presence in league , finishing with the league ’ s third ranked and conference ’ s top - ranked points allowed category . The defense ’ s success earned Rivera recognition among franchises looking for new head coaches . The Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers interviewed him in January 2007 . He was a candidate for the vacant Dallas Cowboys head coaching position , a job that ultimately went to San Diego Chargers defensive coordinator Wade Phillips . Rivera was named as a potential candidate to replace the fired Marty Schottenheimer in San Diego , but the job was filled by Norv Turner , the brother of fellow offensive coordinator , Ron Turner , Rivera ' s offensive counterpart in Chicago . After the announcement , ESPN reported that the Bears were considering letting Rivera go . This came after several other teams interviewed him , and the negotiations between his representatives and the Bears were making little progress . On February 19 , 2007 , it was announced that Ron Rivera ' s contract with the Bears would not be renewed . San Diego Chargers . The San Diego Chargers hired Rivera as team ' s inside linebackers coach after he left the Bears . On October 28 , 2008 , Rivera was promoted to defensive coordinator with the Chargers after the team released former defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell . Rivera had used the 4 - 3 defense for most of his coaching career , but adopted a 3 - 4 scheme with the Chargers . Carolina Panthers . On January 11 , 2011 , Rivera was named the fourth head coach of the Carolina Panthers . He is the fourth Latino to be an NFL head coach , the first being New Orleans Saints coach Tom Fears , former Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks coach Tom Flores the second and former New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts coach Jim E . Mora . During his first year as Head Coach , his Panthers went 6 - 10 and finished third in the division . In 2012 the Panthers finished 7 - 9 and finished second in the division . In his third year as head coach , he again started 1 - 3 before turning his philosophy around and the Panthers finished the season 11 - 1 en route to a division title , second seed in the playoffs , and a first round bye in the playoffs . He was honored as the 2013 Associated Press ( AP ) NFL Coach of the Year on February 1 , 2014 . Over the first 34 games of his coaching career , he was known for exceptionally conservative decision making which led to a 2 - 14 record in games decided by less than a touchdown . Against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 , Rivera decided to kick a field goal while up 3 points and facing a fourth and one deep inside the Bills territory late in the fourth quarter . The Bills proceeded to drive for a touchdown on their next drive , scoring on a touchdown pass with less than 20 seconds remaining in the game . Rivera then changed his coaching philosophy and became a more aggressive coach . With Carolina opening the 2013 season 0 - 2 , reports circled that the front office was already performing background checks on new potential head coach candidates . Facing a 4th and 1 from the two yard line in the first quarter against the also 0 - 2 New York Giants in week three , Rivera went for the touchdown instead of a field goal . A Mike Tolbert run found the end zone , Carolina ended up winning the game 38 - 0 . Over the next five games , the Panthers went for a first down five times in situations where conventional strategy called for a field goal attempt . They converted on four of them and ended each of those drives with touchdowns , all in wins . The lone failure was against the Cardinals when Brandon LaFell dropped a wide open pass across the middle from Cam Newton that would have resulted in a sure touchdown as well . This sudden aggression in his play - calling has earned Rivera the nickname " Riverboat Ron " , after Riverboat gamblers . Rivera has expressed discontent with the nickname , however , explaining he is " a calculated risk taker " not a gambler . Personal life . Rivera is married and has two children , Christopher and Courtney , with his wife Stephanie , a former assistant coach for the WNBA ' s Washington Mystics . In 2003 , Rivera was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame . He was also inducted into the Cal ( University of California , Berkeley ) Sports Hall of Fame in 1994 .