riverboat ron nickname origin

Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron? Explaining the origin of Commanders coach’s nickname

After spending more than 25 years on an NFL sideline, Ron Rivera has made a name for himself in the coaching ranks. Over the course of his 13 years as a head coach, Rivera’s earned a nickname for himself, too.

Rivera, a two-time AP NFL Coach of the Year who recently surpassed the 100-win plateau, has become a household name in coaching thanks to his time as the lead man in Carolina and Washington. As evidenced by his resume, Rivera has done his fair share of winning during his career, but the manner in which he’s done his winning is what became the stuff of legends.

Since the 2013 NFL season, Rivera has been known as “Riverboat Ron,” a nickname that he once decried before eventually embracing it. The nickname and the philosophy that inspired it have turned around seasons, resulted in hilarious memes and very well may have saved RIvera’s coaching career.

The Sporting News looks back at the origins of Rivera’s “Riverboat Ron” nickname. 

Why is Ron Rivera called Riverboat Ron?

Rivera’s nickname is related to riverboat gambling. The gambles, or risks, Rivera has taken in fourth-down situations as a head coach are similar to that of a gambler, earning him the moniker of “Riverboat Ron.”

The nickname is situational as it is almost exclusively employed when Rivera has his team go for it on fourth down or take another calculated in-game risk. It can also work against his favor when he elects not to take a risk, like Washington’s decision to opt for overtime and not go for a two-point conversion to defeat defending NFC champion Philadelphia in Week 4 of the 2023 season.

MORE:  Ron Rivera explains why Commanders played for OT in loss vs. Eagles

How Ron Rivera got his Riverboat Ron nickname

Rivera earned the nickname during his third season as head coach of the Panthers. The nickname itself actually stems from the way Rivera responded to something he didn’t do.

After two losing seasons, Rivera was on the hot seat early in the 2013 campaign. In the second game of the season, one sequence seemingly changed everything about Rivera’s approach.

The Panthers, who had already lost their season opener, had the ball and a 20-17 lead over the Bills late in the fourth quarter of Week 2. As Carolina faced a fourth-and-1 from Buffalo’s 21-yard line, Rivera elected to play it safe by kicking a field goal to give his team a 23-17 lead with 1:38 remaining. The Bills responded with an 80-yard drive, scoring the game-winning touchdown with two seconds remaining to knock Carolina to 0-2 on the season.

Playing conservatively led to the loss and an epiphany in traffic let Rivera know that something had to change.

Fast forward to Week 6, when the Panthers visited the Vikings. Carolina was 1-3 and Rivera’s seat was hotter than it had ever been. In the first quarter, Rivera’s team went for — and converted — two fourth downs on its first scoring drive of the game. Carolina would earn a 35-10 win over Minnesota.

And thus, “Riverboat Ron” was born.

Rivera was reluctant to accept the nickname at first but as the risks continued to pay off and the wins continued to stack, he warmed up to the moniker, which took a life of its own when Rivera was hilariously photoshopped  as a riverboat gambler.

Carolina’s Week 6 win over Minnesota was the first of eight consecutive wins in a season where the team finished 12-4 and earned its first NFC South championship in five years. The team finished the season going 10 of 13 on fourth downs, including a near-perfect 8 of 9 mark on fourth-and-1.

Ten years later, it’s clear that the nickname has stuck.

Ron Rivera’s fourth down success

Since taking over as Washington’s head coach in 2020, Rivera has had his team go for it on fourth down a total of 80 times (through Week 5 of the 2023 season.) In the time span, Washington has converted on 42 fourth downs, a 52.5 percent rate.

This season , the Commanders are 3 of 4 (75.0 percent) on fourth down.

Ron Rivera’s other nicknames

Long before he was known as “Riverboat Ron,” Rivera was affectionately referred to as “Chico” while playing with the Bears.

As the story goes, Rivera, a serviceable linebacker, earned the nickname from defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, who likened Rivera to actor Freddie Prinze’s character in “Chico and the Man.”

clock This article was published more than  4 years ago

‘Riverboat’ Ron Rivera has a great nickname, but he’s not the gambler you think

New Washington Redskins coach Ron Rivera has embraced the “Riverboat Ron” nickname he earned for his aggressive fourth-down decision-making with the Carolina Panthers, though he prefers to be known more as a calculated risk-taker than a gambler. “Analytical Ron” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Early in his coaching career, Rivera was quite the opposite, and it led to calls for his job. In Week 2 of the 2013 season, Rivera’s third year at the helm of the Panthers, Carolina led Buffalo 20-17 with less than two minutes remaining. Facing fourth and one from the Buffalo 21-yard line, Rivera opted to kick a field goal to take a six-point lead. The decision was hardly surprising; since 2011, only one other NFL coach had gone for it fewer times on fourth down than Rivera. The Bills drove 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown in the final seconds, dropping Carolina to 0-2.

After the loss, the Charlotte Observer ran an online poll asking whether then-owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera immediately. Eighty-three percent of the respondents said yes.

Redskins to introduce Ron Rivera as head coach

Rivera’s transformation began the following week against the Giants. In the first quarter, on fourth and one from the New York 2-yard line, the Panthers went for it. Fullback Mike Tolbert scored a touchdown en route to a 38-0 Carolina win. Three weeks later, the Panthers converted a pair of fourth downs on an early touchdown drive in a 35-10 win at Minnesota.

ESPN’s David Newton, who helped coin the “Riverboat Ron” nickname after the win over the Vikings, asked Rivera a couple of days later whether, in hindsight, he would have gone for it on fourth down against Buffalo in Week 2.

“Which is the right call?” Rivera said with a smile . “The right call turns out to be one that you win with. If you win, it’s a great call.”

Good luck with that. pic.twitter.com/XUgR7Jdj8b — Josh (@GoldAndOrSmith) December 1, 2013

The Panthers won 11 of their last 12 games and converted 10 of their 13 fourth-down opportunities to close the season, resulting in an NFC South title.

“I needed to realize that playing conservative, playing close to the vest, playing by the book — sometimes you’ve just got to throw all that away,” Rivera told the Observer in 2014 .

But is Rivera truly a gambler on the gridiron? Not exactly.

The Panthers went for it on fourth down 123 times from 2011 to 2019, giving them just the 25th-most attempts in that span. The Redskins, by comparison, went for it 140 times in that same span. The average NFL team made nearly 137 fourth-down attempts.

The Panthers, though, were a winning team under Rivera, and so we can also look solely at fourth-down decisions in the first three quarters when the score was within eight points — eliminating obvious catch-up situations. In those situations, the Panthers went for it on fourth down 36 times from 2011 to 2019. Nine teams went for it more often in similar situations.

Brewer: Ron Rivera is traditional, hard-nosed and just what the Redskins need

Carolina was, however, one of the most successful teams when it gambled, converting 78 percent of its score-neutral fourth-down opportunities. Only the Kansas City Chiefs had more success moving the chains during that nine-year window, converting 81 percent of their score-neutral fourth-down chances. Like Rivera said, “If you win, it’s a great call.”

In fact, since that 2013 campaign, Rivera has gone for it on fourth down in score-neutral situations only 23 times, a below-average rate for the years 2014 to 2019 and just a few tries fewer than his new team attempted. (The Redskins went for it 20 times in those situations; the Ravens led the NFL with 53 score-neutral fourth-down attempts).

If you make one more adjustment and isolate only those score-neutral situations in which Rivera found himself in his own territory — true riverboat territory — he went for it on fourth down only four times in nine seasons. (The Ravens led the NFL with 11 attempts in those situations, and the Cowboys were next with 10.)

It was a similar story in the playoffs: Rivera went for it only seven times in seven postseason games, and just two of those were in the first three quarters with the score within eight points. None of them were with the Panthers bogged down in their own territory. Playoff teams as a whole went for it 206 times on fourth down (all situations) over 176 playoff games from 2011 to 2018, which averages to just over one attempt per game, slightly more often than Rivera.

But the nickname persisted, and Rivera occasionally did enough to justify it. In November, for example, Rivera’s Panthers had two fourth-down conversions in a 30-20 win over the Titans, including one on fourth and four from their own 36-yard line.

“I just felt we needed a little momentum,” Rivera told reporters of his decision to go for it in a situation when most NFL coaches would punt. “Sure, we had a 10-point lead, but they’d just gone down and scored on us, and that was disappointing to me. But I just felt, sometimes you just can’t measure those things with numbers. There’s a feel in the game, and it’s just one of those things I felt we had to do something.”

Read more on the Redskins :

Jack Del Rio to become Redskins defensive coordinator, will switch to a 4-3 scheme

Ron Rivera agrees to become Redskins’ next coach, begins building staff

After a decade of change everywhere but the top, Redskins finally move on from Bruce Allen

From ‘winning off the field’ to ‘damn good’ culture: Bruce Allen’s Redskins tenure in quotes

Svrluga: With Bruce Allen gone, Daniel Snyder has no more excuses

Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera earns…

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Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera earns ‘Riverboat Ron’ nickname

SANTA CLARA — Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera began being called “Riverboat Ron” this season after he showed a repeated willingness for high stakes gambles.

The 1-3 Panthers were looking at a dismal season when Rivera took his gamble. In an October game against the Minnesota Vikings, twice on the same drive Rivera had the Panthers go for it on fourth-and-1 rather than kick a field goal.

Both plays succeeded — the second was a touchdown — leading to a 35-10 victory that helped turn their season around. The Panthers have won 11 of their past 12 games, and Sunday they host the 49ers in an NFC divisional game. A win, and Carolina will be a step closer to the second Super Bowl in the franchise’s 19-year history. The Panthers lost the Super Bowl to New England in the 2003 season.

As it turns out, the roots of Rivera’s gambling ways sprouted in Berkeley.

Rivera was at Cal in 1983, playing for coach Joe Kapp. The Bears had just kicked a field goal against Texas A&M in the final minute to break a 17-17 tie, but Kapp took the points off the board when the Aggies were penalized. On the next play, Cal fumbled the ball away inside the 5.

One play later, Rivera, then an All-America linebacker, tackled a Texas A&M runner in the end zone for a safety, and Cal won 19-17.

“Ron Rivera saved the day,” Kapp told this newspaper this week. “A coach’s goal is to prepare a player to succeed, and he’s really succeeded.”

Rivera, who played at Seaside High before coming to Cal, credits Kapp for much of his success. During a Wednesday conference call, Rivera said, “Joe Kapp has always been a huge influence in my life.”

“Ron was quiet,” Kapp said, “but his personality was always that of a leader. No one thought Carolina would do that much this year, but he’s got them right there.”

The Panthers are a young team, and Rivera, who interviewed nine times for NFL head-coaching jobs before landing in Carolina in 2011, has always been one to show the kids how it’s done.

Bill Cooper, who coached linebackers at Cal under Kapp, said he didn’t know Rivera would end up coaching. But Cooper did know that Rivera would work well with the younger set, no matter what he did.

“I know he had a real affinity for kids,” Cooper said. “I know because I saw how good he was baby-sitting my son. Kevin grew up idolizing everything Ron Rivera did, on the field and off. Ron was always fully aware of the whole team concept and how he was a part of it. I think he’s taken that into his role as the head coach.”

Another Rivera strength is his ability to separate what he can control from what he can’t.

A few hours after the Panthers fell to 0-2 on Sept. 15 with a one-point loss to the Buffalo Bills, the Charlotte Observer newspaper ran a poll asking fans if team owner Jerry Richardson should fire Rivera. At that point, the Panthers were 13-21 in Rivera’s two-plus seasons.

Eighty percent of the readers answering the poll supported getting rid of the former Cal star.

A month later, Riverboat Ron was born during that thrashing of the Vikings.

“We are doing the things we need to do to play winning football,” Rivera said. “We’ve been very consistent and relatively disciplined. We’ve had four fourth-quarter winning drives. That’s something we haven’t done in the past.”

They’re doing it now, getting their direction from Riverboat Ron, who’s become quite the gambler.

Follow John Hickey on Twitter at twitter.com/JHickey3 .

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'So why did I choose the Redskins?' Real talks with Dan Snyder reveal why Ron Rivera made this big gamble

Ron Rivera made it clear he didn’t need the money, nor did he need just any job.

After 34 years coaching, and four torturous weeks of unemployment, the veteran coach knew exactly what he wanted. Or better yet, who.

The Washington Redskins — an organization that has become synonymous with dysfunction and disarray — are now his personal reclamation project.

“There are only 32 of us at any given time, and these jobs are scarce,” Rivera said Thursday, at his introductory news conference. “The Washington Redskins, this one’s special.”

“Riverboat Ron” just made his biggest gamble. And for the sake of his reputation, one hopes he’s right.

The franchise ushered in a new day, unveiling Rivera as its new head coach in front of a jam-packed room featuring his newly hired defensive coordinator, Jack Del Rio, current and past Redskins players as well as team executives. Team owner Dan Snyder proudly stepped behind the lectern to announce this new era in Ashburn will be run much differently. It will begin with only one voice: Rivera’s.

The longtime coach chose to bet on himself, as any self-assured and self-respecting person would. Where others have failed — gifted minds like Joe Gibbs, Marty Schottenheimer and Mike Shanahan — Rivera is confident he will succeed.

“I believe in me,” said the coach, who turns 58 next week.

Though he repeatedly used the word “collaborative” during his introduction,

Rivera will be the focal point of authority. Praised as the ultimate locker room leader, he’ll bring a player-centric approach, one that entails a commitment to teaching players how to be better performers on the field and better men off of it. Accountability will be key. Having high standards is non-negotiable.

With this new position comes plenty of responsibility: Finding the right men to groom Dwayne Haskins Jr . into the franchise quarterback he was drafted to be, retooling a roster comprised of “raw talent” and “solid veteran leadership,” and facilitating a reunion with disgruntled offensive tackle Trent Williams .

This role also comes with a heavy burden of bringing respectability back to the Redskins. And that entails keeping Snyder out of his way.

Rivera is enamored with the history of the organization, which was established in 1932. He respects its past greatness as well as the players and coaches who have worn burgundy and gold before him. But these are not the ’Skins of old.

Despite Snyder’s deep affection for his beloved team, his poor leadership over the past 20 years has paved the way for Washington’s sad descent toward irrelevancy. He enabled the decision-making of former team president Bruce Allen for a decade and stood silently by as Allen declared three months ago that the organization had a “damn good” culture.

Snyder’s fingerprints are all over the mess the Redskins have become . But his hope is that Rivera can salvage the wreckage and eventually build a championship-caliber team.

In nine seasons with the Panthers , Rivera compiled a 76-63-1 record and twice was named NFL Coach of the Year. Most impressive of all: He has reached the Super Bowl.

With all of those accolades and with all of his experience, Rivera knew he had one pressing question to answer first.

“So why did I choose the Redskins?” he asked with a smile. “I can tell you right now it's not the money. If I wanted the money, I’d still be out there right now trying to pit a couple teams against each other.”

He said he took the job for “one simple reason.” Over “30-35 hours” of honest, self-reflective dialogue with Snyder, the owner expressed a desire to do things differently and he expressed an understanding of what sustains winning franchises like the Patriots , the Seahawks and the Chiefs. “Not an owner-centered approach or a team president or a GM, but a coach-centered approach,” Rivera explained.

In turn, the coach requested one condition from his soon-to-be boss.

“It would have to be a player-centered culture, something I truly do believe in,” Rivera said. “My response is to get the most out of the players, to work with them, to teach them, mentor them. If I have to do it one-by-one, I will most certainly will do it. … I was fortunate to have that in Carolina and I’ll work to have it here in Washington.”

He’s an old-school guy who preaches hard work and accountability, and also demands the most out of those around him. But during his time with the Panthers, he showed that he will defend his players like kin. Case in point: Quarterback Cam Newton .

That bodes well for Haskins, the inexperienced but raw-talented quarterback the Redskins drafted in the first round despite the wishes of Gruden. “I think he can become a franchise-style quarterback,” Rivera said. “… He’s going to have to step up and become a leader. All the great ones have become leaders and they’ve become leaders whether they’re rookies or they’re 10-, 12-year vets.”

Rivera believes there are foundational pieces already here. That’s why, instead of taking a year-long sabbatical or waiting to see how how the Giants’ and Browns’ coaching situations played out, he instead became intrigued by the prospect of coaching in Washington. His interest was piqued when Snyder reached out to his agent shortly after his dismissal from Carolina and over the course of their “in depth” conversations, the veteran coach knew for certain that this is where he belongs.

Now, all he has to do is cleanse the culture Snyder helped taint.

“This is the beginning of a great new year for the Redskins’ organization and its fans,” the owner said, after curiously wishing his audience, “Happy Thanksgiving.”

“… What the Redskins have needed is a culture change. Someone that can bring a winning culture to our organization. And it starts and ends with our head coach. When looking for that man, I look for a class act. And that’s how you describe Coach Rivera.”

In many ways, Rivera is everything Snyder isn’t. And that fact may very well save this franchise.

Hopefully, for Rivera’s sake, this gamble will be worth it in the end.

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Riverboat Ron 2.0: Ron Rivera gets ‘ballsy,’ gets a new nickname (maybe) and gets an important win

Early in the 2013 season, with his job in jeopardy, Panthers coach Ron Rivera went for a couple of fourth downs at Minnesota and made them both in a 35-10 victory at the old Metrodome.

The Panthers went on to finish 12-4 and grab the first of three consecutive playoff berths. Rivera went on to win NFL coach of the year honors and earn the nickname “Riverboat Ron” for his fourth-down daring.

Rivera’s job might not have been in jeopardy entering Sunday’s game against Tennessee , but he wasn’t exactly riding high after a 38-point loss at San Francisco that was said to have left owner David Tepper livid, according to a league source.

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And there was Rivera six years later, Riverboating again with two successful fourth-down conversions — including a fake punt — in an important 30-20 victory after a month away from Bank of America Stadium.

The win got the Panthers to the season’s midpoint at 5-3, despite playing the past six games without starting quarterback Cam Newton and facing the prospect of a bunch more with him rehabbing his injured left foot.

It also might have earned Rivera an updated nickname: Ballsy Ron, inspired by Kyle Allen , Newton’s replacement and a straight-talking millennial.

Discussing the fourth-down calls, specifically the fake punt to Colin Jones, Allen said: “Not to put it any other way — it was ballsy and we got it. We pushed that pile and we got it, and I think it sparked a little more momentum in us.”

This is what Rivera was seeking when he and special teams coordinator Chase Blackburn sent in the fake early in the third quarter. The Titans fed Derrick Henry to score on their first second-half possession and cut the Panthers’ lead to 17-7.

And Carolina was about to go three-and-out on its first possession after an Allen incompletion left it with a fourth-and-4 at its 36.

Jones, the veteran special teams captain, set up as the upback on the right side of the line. Blackburn put the call on, but it was up to Jones to decide whether the Titans were in the right look to leave the fake on.

Jones felt good about the call — until he heard a Titans coach yelling at Titans defensive back Dane Cruikshank , the end man on the line of scrimmage, to watch the fake and widen out.

It was too late to change it. So Jones took the direct snap from J.J. Jansen , followed Jordan Scarlett’s lead block on Cruikshank and carried about three Titans defenders — with a shove from Efe Obada — past the first-down marker for a 5-yard gain.

Five plays later, Christian McCaffrey knifed in for a 1-yard touchdown run to up the lead to 17 and send the Panthers on their way.

“It was a good look. The only thing (was) they talked about it. Their coach was yelling to (Cruikshank). He was communicating to (him) to widen out to try to take away that fake,” said Jones, a high school running back who rushed for 1,800 yards his senior year at Bridgeport High in Texas.

“I literally looked, like, mid-holdup, and I was like, ‘Rivera’s going to kill me if I don’t get this,’” Jones added. “I could see that I was short. I was like, ‘Uh-oh, I’ve got another yard to go. C’mon, baby.’ And just kept churnin’. And luckily, me and whoever else pushed me to the promised land.”

Rivera said he intended to send a message with the fake.

“I just wanted to make sure the guys know that, ‘Hey, I believe in who we are as a football team, and I believe we can make plays. When we get the opportunity, we have to go out and do it,’” Rivera said. “I was really looking for something to give us an edge, and I thought the moment was good.”

Rivera had shown similar moxie in the first half on a fourth down, albeit with much less at stake in terms of field position.

Also, worth noting: Titans coach Mike Vrabel took a conservative approach on a fourth down on Tennessee’s first possession.

With Tennessee looking at fourth-and-1 at the Panthers’ 25, Vrabel sent in Ryan Succop for a 43-yard field goal attempt. Succop, a former South Carolina kicker who was activated off injured reserve last week, missed all three of his field goal tries.

The Panthers led just 3-0 in the second quarter when they faced a fourth-and-2 at the Tennessee 7 following Donte Jackson ’s interception. Rather than settle for a field goal, Rivera left the offense on the field.

Offensive coordinator Norv Turner called a rub play, with receiver Jarius Wright running an in-breaking route to create traffic and free McCaffrey on a quick out.

Linebacker Rashaan Evans didn’t get out quick enough on McCaffrey, who was wide open for the first of his three touchdowns.

“Those are game-changing plays,” said Allen, who improved to 6-1 all-time as a starter and 5-1 this year. “We could have just as easily kicked a field goal and chalked up three points. But that fourth-down play was huge to Christian; to get that touchdown was a great call. It schemed out perfectly.”

Allen bounced back from a three-interception, seven-sack performance at San Francisco with a fairly solid day. He underthrew a couple of open receivers deep, but he also connected on completions of 33 (to Curtis Samuel ), 32 ( DJ Moore ) and 23 yards (Greg Olsen).

And the job is going to be his a while longer, perhaps a lot longer.

Two days after Newton visited foot and ankle specialist Robert Anderson in Green Bay, he was nowhere to be found Sunday. Rivera said Anderson, a former team doctor for the Panthers, confirmed Newton is doing “exactly what he needs to be doing.”

Sources said Newton is expected to huddle with his family and advisers in Atlanta to decide the best course of action, which could include season-ending IR.

“Anything is possible,” a source said.

So the rest of the team will now head to Green Bay, likely without Newton, for next week’s game against the NFC North-leading Packers .

“We love Kyle Allen. We love Cam Newton. Whoever’s there for us, we know we’re gonna get the job done,” said safety Tre Boston, who had his first INT of the season Sunday. “It’s amazing to have two great quarterbacks. When we go out there, play Tennessee and not worry about our quarterback situation. When next week we can go to the Packers and not care who’s at quarterback.”

The Panthers did care about stopping the San Francisco bleeding immediately and not letting the embarrassing loss turn into two or three — or seven, like last season’s Pittsburgh debacle.

“It took us eight weeks last year to bounce back after our big loss. That’s just reality. We all are being honest with ourselves to realize that we needed to come home and regroup,” tight end Greg Olsen said. “We’ve got a tough stretch this back half of the season. We understand that; none bigger than this next one.”

A lot will happen over the next two months that will determine the fates of the team and Rivera, a two-time coach of the year who’s signed through 2020.

Newton could be back in a few weeks … or done for the season.

McCaffrey could continue making a strong case for MVP.

The Panthers could go on a run during a heavily backloaded schedule … or fade in the tough NFC.

But for one day at least, Rivera showed he’s not ready to put away those Riverboat T-shirts just yet.

That mentality carried onto the field. Jones could have tried to call off the fake when he heard the Titans coach yelling it out, but he sensed what was at stake.

He also was reminded of Olsen’s comments last week about not just talking about avoiding a skid but doing something about it.

“If you get in a funk like that, you’ve got a target on your back because there’s blood in the water. A sinking ship sinks faster,” Jones said. “So it was really important for us to finish the first half of the season with a winning record.”

(Photo of Colin Jones: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images)

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Joe Person is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Carolina Panthers. He has covered the team since 2010, previously for the Charlotte Observer. A native of Williamsport, Pa., Joe is a graduate of William & Mary, known for producing presidents and NFL head coaches. Follow Joseph on Twitter @ josephperson

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The evolution of ”Riverboat Ron” Rivera:…

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The evolution of ”Riverboat Ron” Rivera: Friends say it wasn”t always that way

SEASIDE — Before Carolina coach Ron Rivera was “Riverboat Ron” he was a by-the-book player and coach.

The change three years ago surprised family and friends on the Monterey Peninsula where Rivera grew up. They recall a man with a strong military upbringing who didn”t take unnecessary risks on the field.

” ”Riverboat Ron?” I just don”t see that,” said Dave Miller, one of Rivera”s coaches at Seaside High in the 1970s. “He”s old school. It”s so rare to see him get upset.”

It seemed playing it safe would spell Rivera”s doom in 2013 after consecutive losing years in Carolina. The unemployment line was beckoning in the season”s third week after the Panthers (0-2) kicked a field goal on a fourth-and-one play that allowed the Buffalo Bills to rally for a last-second victory.

“I was thinking conservatively and I”ll never do that again,” Rivera later told brother Steven Rivera. “I go by instinct now.”

The bleak outcome of the Bills” game still was on Rivera”s mind two nights later when commuting home from the team facility. He was so consumed with the defeat that Rivera drove through a red light and narrowly avoided getting sideswiped.

A new side of Rivera”s coaching personality appeared in the Panthers” game that weekend against the New York Giants.

In the first quarter of a scoreless tie, Carolina went for it on fourth down from the Giants” 2-yard line. The Panthers scored en route to a 38-0 victory.

Rivera”s team gambled 11 more times on fourth-down plays after that. Carolina converted eight times as Rivera ended the season as Associated Press” coach of the year. His go-for-it style earned the Riverboat nickname that Rivera initially protested. But now he”s game with a Twitter handle of @RiverboatRonHC.

The Seaside Spartans of the 1970s graced their linebacker/quarterback with other nicknames: “Double R” for his initials or “Rolls Royce.”

Why the car reference?

“Because he was so good and we were like Toyota Corollas,” high school teammate Pat Price said.

Follow Elliott Alond on Twitter at twitter.com/elliottalmond .

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‘Riverboat Ron' nickname going viral

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera has a new nickname that is catching on quickly. Rivera got the nickname "Riverboat Ron" when he went for it on fourth-and-1 twice on the first series in a 35-10 victory over the Vikings on Oct. 13. ESPN.com reported that Jim Kennedy, a graphic artist from Raleigh, posted a picture online showing Rivera dressed up as a riverboat gambler wearing dark sunglasses with the "Riverboat Ron" slogan on it with Bank of America Stadium in the background. The image quickly went viral Monday after the Panthers beat the 49ers 10-9 Sunday afternoon. Rivera's daughter, Courtney, posted the photo on her Instagram page and put it out on Twitter also. The Panthers win over the 49ers extended the team's win streak to five games. Rivera has been criticized in the past for not going for it on fourth down.  Only one NFL coach has gone for it less than Rivera since 2011, ESPN.com reported . That coach was former Panthers and current Broncos coach John Fox.

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Ron Rivera joins Twitter, embraces 'Riverboat' nickname

Ron rivera joined twitter on monday, embracing his "riverboat ron" nickname..

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It's not usually news when someone joins Twitter. But it is news when a guy like Panthers coach Ron Rivera hops on the social media network and embraces a nickname he's pushed back on in the past.

Yes, America, rejoice and behold: RIVERBOAT RON LIVES.

Hey #Panthers fans, please welcome head coach Ron Rivera ( @RiverboatRonHC ) to twitter! — Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) July 21, 2014

Thus far, Rivera's just tweeted a pair of links to a "Make a Wish" feature Cam Newton 's involved in. There's no telling how active he'll actually be once he gets rolling.

But the crazy thing is he's embracing the "Riverboat Ron" nickname. Rivera previously pushed back a bit on the nickname; he's said he prefers something a little less crazy.

Good luck with that. pic.twitter.com/XUgR7Jdj8b — Josh Gold-Smith (@GoldAndOrSmith) December 1, 2013

Rivera reiterated his preference for a less wild nickname even after he analytically gambled his way into multiple Coach of the Year awards in 2013 .

Something must've changed, because it appears Rivera's on the Riverboat bandwagon now.

Look out, world.

Riverboat Ron has a one question for Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. pic.twitter.com/HFOvzKfsxQ — ryan wilson (@ryanwilson_07) November 19, 2013

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'Riverboat Ron' trademark coming?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The "Riverboat Ron" nickname has become so popular that Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera and his wife are looking for ways to use it to raise money for local charities.

They may even have it trademarked.

"It's unbelievable,'' Rivera said. "This thing has taken on a mind of its own. It's kind of gone all over the place, and it's one of those things that the moniker is what it is as far as trying to describe some of the decisions I've made.

"I kind of look at what I've done as just calculating it. But I will say this: My wife and I are going to try to figure out a way to use it to help benefit some of these charities out here that we work with. We've got to just keep rolling with it, I guess."

Rivera was statistically one of the most conservative coaches in the NFL when it came to gambling on fourth down the past two seasons. He was criticized publicly for opting to kick a field goal that extended the Panthers' lead to six instead of going for it on fourth-and-1 at the Buffalo 21 with 1:42 remaining in the teams' Week 2 game. The Bills won 24-23, driving 80 yards to score a touchdown with two seconds left.

Since then, Rivera has been successful on 9 of 11 fourth-down plays. The Panthers (9-3) are 8-for-8 on fourth down during their league-best eight-game winning streak that has set up a Sunday night road game against the New Orleans Saints (9-3) for the NFC South lead. Rivera was dubbed "Riverboat Ron'' after showing the instincts of a gambler when he successfully went for it on fourth-and-1 twice on Carolina's first possession in a 35-10 victory at Minnesota on Oct. 13.

The nickname took on a new life after a Nov. 10 win at San Francisco. Jim Kennedy, a graphic artist from Raleigh, N.C., posted online a picture of Rivera as a riverboat gambler.

The picture showed him wearing dark sunglasses, a black Panthers cowboy hat and a blue Panthers jacket with a black vest and tie. In one hand he is holding a cigar; in the other are playing cards. In the background is a picture of Bank of America Stadium and the words "Riverboat Ron."

Kennedy initially posted it to a Panthers fan page. Rivera's daughter, Courtney, then posted it on Instagram and later turned it into a Twitter post.

She wrote: "I honestly could not resist. apparently this is a thing now. panther fans have given dad a new nickname and have even made photo edits! #isthisreallife #riverboatron #panthers #omg #peoplegottoomuchtime.''

Rivera didn't care for the nickname initially but embraces it now.

Asked whether he might trademark the name in his effort to use it for charity, Rivera smiled and said, "That's not a bad idea.''

"It's been good,'' he added. "It's kind of taken a life of its own, so if we can use it to do something good, we certainly will.''

Ron Rivera talks about why he didn't go for 2-point conversion after final TD vs. Seahawks

W ashington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera earned the nickname “Riverboat Ron” during his time with Carolina for his penchant for being aggressive on fourth down and in other high-pressure situations.

However, since taking over as Washington’s head coach in 2020, fans would probably tell you Rivera is anything but “Riverboat Ron.”

Earlier this season, the Commanders scored a touchdown at the end of regulation at Philadelphia. They had two choices: Play for overtime or go for the win. Rivera played for OT and explained afterward he felt his team was gassed.

He received criticism for the move, while others defended him. There was no right or wrong answer on what he should have done, just speculation.

In Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, Rivera was faced with the same decision again. Once again, Rivera chose to kick the extra point.

Before we get to Rivera’s explanation for his decision, let’s understand there were differences. Even if Washington had gone for two points and succeeded, the Seahawks still had 52 seconds to get a game-winning score.

Here’s Rivera’s explanation:

“You know, in talking and trying to get a feel for it, the biggest thing that you get concerned with is how much time was left. “Because, again, they don’t have consequences, now the opportunity to move the call down comes into play, you know what I’m saying? They had two timeouts left. So, again, it was one of those things I liked our chances going into overtime. I liked the way we moved the ball. We found a couple of things we felt we could exploit, and we did. We did it twice in the last couple of drives. Felt good going into overtime.”

That’s a perfectly fair explanation from Rivera. He is saying that if his defense could get a stop, he had confidence his offense could win in overtime. What he’s not saying is he knew his defense couldn’t make a stop.

Would Seattle being behind have changed its strategy? That seems unlikely. The Seahawks could do everything they wanted on Sunday, and whether they were tied or behind with 52 seconds left wouldn’t impact their offensive plan on the final drive.

What are your thoughts on Rivera’s decision?

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