Commanders Coach Ron Rivera Gets Emotional With Media after Win at Bears
CHICAGO - There's a cooldown period afforded to teams like the Washington Commanders following NFL games.
A lot of times, that period is used for coaches and team captains to address their teams following the action, but it also gives all involved a chance to prepare for what's coming next.
Questions.
Win, lose, and especially draw, media members race to interview rooms prepared to tap into as much of the emotions and impact moments that determine which teams come out on top of every contest.
And sometimes, those questions hit on things that go beyond the tactics of playing football.
For example, getting his first win as a coach on Soldier Field on Thursday night, (a 12-7 decision) one question produced a meaningful response from Commanders coach Ron Rivera.
"It was kind of cool, you know, the guys gave me the (game) ball," Rivera said. "We talked (Thursday) ... about how coming here was a special thing for me ... (And how) we need to defend our territory and make it special."
But that significance in one man's life, shared by a now 2-4 team, and hopefully leveraged to recapture the magic that burgundy and gold colors used to embody, wasn't the only emotional point in the press conference.
There was another emotion that spilled through the interview session. One that will get the lion's share of reactions in the coming days.
And some of those reactions will be negative.
Rivera was asked about the recent reports pertaining to franchise owner Dan Snyder and how it impacts his team. ... in particular an ESPN suggestion that it was Snyder, and not the coach, who pinpointed the struggling Carson Wentz as the QB to trade for.
“Everybody keeps wanting to say I didn’t want anything to do with Carson,” Rivera said. Well, bullshit. I'm the fucking guy that pulled out the sheets of paper, that looked at the analytics, that watched the tape and freaking — when we were in Indianapolis.
"And that’s what pisses me off. Because the young man doesn’t deserve to have that (criticism) all the time. I’m sorry, I’m done.”
During his response to that question, he got visibly emotional, and his tone changed significantly.
He was earlier asked about that shift in tone, and that's when things came to a head.
"What's important is these guys," Rivera said while gesturing toward his locker room. "It's been hard, it really has. You lose four games in a row and everybody wants to just, get on you. And they've played their asses off, they have...they hear all the stuff and they gotta deal with it. I get that and I respect them for that because they're resilient and they come back.
"There's a group of young men in there that deserve better."
Call it passion. Call it frustration. Even call it an overreaction.
Whatever you call it, people have been wondering when Rivera would give more than the traditional 'coach-speak' answers to troubling questions.
Well, we got it. And we might as well appreciate the honesty.
You can follow David Harrison on Twitter @DHarrison82.
Get your Washington Commanders game tickets from SI Tickets HERE!
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Commanders? Click Here.
Follow Commander Country on Twitter.
