ASHBURN, Va. — Since WUSA9 broke the news of Ron Rivera's firing by the Washington Commanders Monday morning, we have not only covered the details of the decision and the reaction from fans and players; we have also made sure to separate fact from fiction.
Rumors can spread quickly during coaching changes. That is why we took a look at some of the claims that got the most traction throughout the day to verify what is true and what is false.
QUESTION
Is the team hiring two seperate positions after firing Ron Rivera?
SOURCES
Josh Harris, Washington Commanders managing partner
ANSWER
The team is looking to hire two people to fill Rivera's role
WHAT WE FOUND
Rivera served as both the head coach and the head of football operations during his four years with the team.
When the team announced his dismissal, it posted a statement online saying it would seek to fill both roles.
During a news conference Monday afternoon, Josh Harris said he is inclined to fill the roles separately, because they are both big jobs that require full-time attention. He added that he plans to start by hiring a head of football operations so that person could give their influence to the coaching hire, but added he is “going to be flexible around talent.”
QUESTION
Are the Commanders bringing in outside help for the hiring process?
SOURCES
Bob Myers, former Golden State Warriors general manager
Rick Spielman, former Minnesota Vikings general manager
ANSWER
Two longtime sports executives will advise the Commanders.
WHAT WE FOUND
The Commanders are turning to a pair of respected former sports executives in their search for the team's new on-field leadership. The team posted a statement online saying that Bob Myers and Rick Spielman would join an advisory committee assisting Harris in making those hires.
Myers comes from the NBA, where Harris got his start in sports franchise ownership. Spielman was the general manager in Minnesota for nearly a decade. He's best known for helping draft Adrian Peterson, Stefon Diggs, and Justin Jefferson, as well signing Kirk Cousins. Both Myers and Spielman issued statements regarding their decision to temporarily advise the team.
QUESTION
Did the Commanders fire their general manager as well?
SOURCES
ANSWER
While the team's next front office structure is unclear, the current general manager is still a part of it.
WHAT WE FOUND
Despite social media claims that caught fire early Monday, the Commanders' GM has not been let go. The team tells WUSA9 that Martin Mayhew is still the GM, and will stay with the Commanders through the search for the next head coach. His role beyond that is unclear and may depend on the desires of the person hired to run the football operations department.
QUESTION
Can the Commanders interview or hire their next coach immediately?
SOURCES
ANSWER
The NFL restricts when some coaches may interview for open positions.
WHAT WE FOUND
Buzz has bee building for weeks about who the next head coach might be: but as per NFL rules, the Commanders must follow a timeline when interviewing currently-contracted coaches. First, the coach’s current team needs to give the candidate permission after a request from the Commanders. The league added additional details to its interview restrictions for head coaching candidates last week, as outlined in a tweet by Washington Post reporter Nicki Jhabvala.
Virtual interviews could begin as soon as Tuesday if the coach's season has ended or if their team has a first-round playoff bye. Coaches whose teams play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs may not take virtual interviews until next week. Teams may not interview candidates currently under contract in person until Jan. 22, after the conclusion of the Divisional Round of the playoffs.
Those rules do not apply to a candidate who is not currently employed by an NFL team.