The University of California Golden Bears football team has hired a new general manager, and he is a person very familiar to the National Football League. According to writeforcalifornia.com on Wednesday, the Golden Bears officially introduced 63-year-old Ron Rivera of Fort Ord, California to the organization as the person responsible for generating revenue for the school, and offer football expertise. It should be noted that Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox will continue to report to Golden Bears director of athletics Jim Knowlton, and Rivera will report to the University of California chancellor Rich Lyons.
Former Golden Bears player
Rivera has a strong connection to the Golden Bears. That is because he played college football there from 1980 to 1983 as a linebacker. In his final season at the University of California, Rivera won the 1983 Pop Warner Trophy, presented to the most valuable senior player on the West Coast, and was the PAC 10 Defensive Player of the Year.
NFL Playing Career
Rivera went from the Golden Bears to the Bears. He was Chicago’s second round pick, 44th overall, in the 1984 National Football League Draft. Rivera played 137 games with the Bears from 1984 to 1992. He had nine interceptions for 37 yards, six fumble recoveries for five yards, 7.5 sacks and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. The fumble recovery for a touchdown was for five yards and came in a 37-17 Bears win over the Detroit Lions on December 22, 1985. At the time, the Bears took a 30-10 lead.
Rivera also won a Super Bowl as a player. He had one solo tackle in a 46-10 Bears win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX.
NFL Coaching Experience
Rivera has spent 13 seasons as a NFL head coach. He was with the Carolina Panthers from 2011 to 2019, and with Washington from 2020 to 2023. Rivera had a record of 102 wins, 103 losses and two ties. He was also the NFL Coach of the Year in 2013 and 2015.
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