Ron Rivera officially joined California’s football program on Thursday.
Early last month, the former NFL head coach revealed that he’s returning to his alma mater in an unspecified role. On Thursday, Cal formally welcomed Rivera back as the football general manager.
In the newly created job, Rivera will help grow fundraising and revenue opportunities so Cal “can compete and win at the highest level.”
“The football program is an indispensable part of our university and our community. And, so, we are taking the steps necessary so that the team can excel in the changed landscape of intercollegiate athletics,” Chancellor Rich Lyons said in a press release. “The combination of Ron’s incredible football acumen and his powerful dedication to his alma mater makes him a perfect fit for this new role. It is an unprecedented opportunity to achieve the excellence I know our program is capable of.”
Rivera played 33 games at Cal from 1980 to 1983. The linebacker was named an All-American and the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year in his final season before the Chicago Bears drafted him in the second round.
Rivera spent over a decade on numerous NFL staffs before becoming the Carolina Panthers head coach in 2011. He led them to a 76-63-1 record over a nine-year tenure that included four playoff appearances and a trip to the Super Bowl.
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After getting fired late in the 2013 season, Rivera quickly found a new head coaching gig with the Washington Commanders. They went 26-40-1 over four seasons before new ownership replaced him with Dan Quinn last offseason.
Rivera will now oversee a Golden Bears team that’s gone 6-7 in each of the last two seasons. They were 2-6 in ACC play after joining the conference in 2024.
“I am fired up to be coming home,” Rivera said in Thursday’s announcement. “My love and passion for Cal has never changed, and I couldn’t be more excited about the future of our football program. I look forward to working with Chancellor Lyons as we look to Jim Knowlton, Justin Wilcox, and all of our staff and players to compete for championships as we move forward in this new and rapidly changing era of college football.”
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