How does Ron Rivera stack up against prior Washington coaches?

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January 25, 2023

by Steve Thomas

We’ve now seen Washington head coach Ron Rivera in action for three full seasons, which is enough of a sample size to compare him to former Redskins coaches.  Have you ever wondered how he stacks up from a statistical standpoint?  I sure did.  In this comparison, I’ve listed the overall win – loss records and the win – loss records for the first three years of each Redskins head coach of the Dan Snyder era from 1999 through 2022 (excluding interim head coaches):

Name Years Record Winning % Playoff record
Ron Rivera 2020 – 2023 22 – 27 – 1 .450 0 – 1
Jay Gruden 2014 – 2019 35 – 49 – 1 .418 0 – 1
2014 – 2016 21 – 26 – 1 .438 0 – 1
Mike Shanahan 2010 – 2013 24 – 40 .375 0 – 1
2010 – 2012 21 – 27 .438 0 – 1
Jim Zorn 2008 – 2009 12 – 20 .375 0 – 0
Joe Gibbs (part 2) 2004 – 2007 30 – 34 .469 1 – 2
2004 – 2006 21 – 27 .438 1 – 1
Steve Spurrier 2002 – 2003 12 – 20 .375 0 – 0
Marty Schottenheimer 2001 8 – 8 .500 0 – 0
Norv Turner 1999 – 2000 17 – 12 .586 1 – 1

What you should notice about these numbers is how stunningly consistent the results Washington’s head coaches have produced: of the four coaches who made it three years, they each produced records within one win of each other over three years, and with the exception of Gibbs, each had one playoff loss.  The idea that could happen is almost unfathomable.  Then, to make things even more interesting, both Zorn and Spurrier lasted two seasons and had the same record.  What other team could produce this level of consistently mediocre results?  Then, not one of them finished above .500 after Schottenheimer in 2001, even Gibbs.  This chart really shows Washington’s decent from powerhouse franchise to bottom-dweller.

Now, check out this comparison of offensive and defensive rankings in each season of each coach’s Washington career:

Name Years Points scored ranks Points allowed ranks
Ron Rivera 2020 – 2022 25, 23, 24 4, 25, 7
Jay Gruden 2014 – 2019 26, 10, 12, 16, 29, 32 30, 10, 17, 27, 15, 27
Mike Shanahan 2010 – 2013 25, 26, 4, 23 21, 21, 22, 30
Jim Zorn 2008 – 2009 28, 26 6, 18
Joe Gibbs 2004 – 2007 31, 13, 20, 18 5, 9, 27, 11
Steve Spurrier 2002 – 2003 25, 22 5, 25
M. Schottenheimer 2001 28 13
Norv Turner 1999 – 2000 2, 24 24, 7

Please note that Jay Gruden was fired in week 5 in 2019, and Norv Turner was fired in week 14 in 2000, so the rankings for those two seasons should be partially attributed to the respective interim coaches, Terry Robiskie and Bill Callahan.  What stands out with this data?  Not much, honestly.  The most successful offense of the last 20 years as measured by points scored was 1999 under Norv Turner, which was the Brad Johnson, with 2012 under Shanahan, which was the Robert Griffin III year, in second place.  Ron Rivera’s 2020 defense was the most successful as measured by points surrendered.  Spurrier and Zorn each lucked into successful defensive campaigns.  Other than that, what we can see is years and years of mediocre to poor results.  Not one of these coaches was ever really able to put everything together, even Joe Gibbs in the Sean Taylor year, 2007.  That, of course, should surprise no one, but it’s still interesting to see in print.  Jay Gruden’s 2015 was probably the closest, with both the offense and defense ranked 10th.  That was the year Washington went 9 – 7 but were non-competitive in a loss to the Packers in the Wild Card game.  That’s really it, for 24 years.  Every other team had either big disparities or just generally wasn’t that good.

This doesn’t necessarily mean Rivera’s fourth season isn’t going to be better, of course, but it nevertheless is a pretty telling historical trend.  His results have basically followed the trends of his predecessors.  If this truly is the end of the Dan Snyder era and the chaos that has come with him, then perhaps Rivera can turn a corner and begin something new in 2023.