Ron Rivera, Dirk Koetter & Team Glazer
December 3rd, 2018
The big talk in the world of the Panthers after yesterday’s loss to the Buccaneers was the job security of Carolina head coach Ron Rivera.
He’s on very thin ice now and Rivera was not pleased to be grilled about it after the game.
You can click the link above to read the Charlotte Observer report. The new Panthers ownership didn’t hire Rivera and, apparently, they’re unhappy with a four-game losing streak capped by falling to the Buccaneers yesterday.
The Panthers are 70-53 in the regular season since Rivera took over to start the 2011 campaign, the same year the Panthers had the No. 1 overall pick and drafted Cam Newton.
With his team at 6-6, Rivera is on the hot seat because NFL job security is all about meeting expectations of ownership, not your won-loss record.
If your boss thinks you’re a six-win team, then you better not win four. If you won 10 games and made the playoffs last year, then you best get back to the playoffs to secure your job. If the guys cutting the checks believe you should have 10 wins led by a high-powered offense, then you better not win eight.
That’s NFL reality.
And that brings Joe to Dirk Koetter. The mysterious X-factor in his job security is Team Glazer’s expectations before the start of this season, and then how those might have been revised after starting 2-0.
Via iconic JoeBucsFan columnist Ira Kaufman, Joe knows Team Glazer absolutely was very positive and upbeat with expectations of a winning 2018 season before opening day. And that optimism carried through the month of September.
After going 2-2, would Team Glazer possibly bless an 8-8 finish by Dirk Koetter? Will it take a perfect finish (9-7) for Koetter to survive here into 2019?
Of course, the giant consideration for most ownership groups considering a head-coaching change is whether they can find a better coach than their current guy.
How ironic it would be if Koetter beating Rivera today led to him getting fired by Carolina and Team Glazer being eager to pounce on Rivera to coach Tampa Bay. The Panthers have two remaining games against the Saints, and one each against the Browns and Falcons.
Joe could imagine a Rivera-led Bucs with Todd Monken staying on as offensive coordinator.
Hopefully, the Bucs and Koetter keep playing good football. Joe doesn’t expect a four-game winning streak to close this season, but it’s very possible Koetter creates a challenging decision for Team Glazer.
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:11 am
Joe, please write about and lobby for former Packers HC… don’t waist your time with this meaningless wins ( except Ray James ticket holders)
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:14 am
We have a better record than the Packers.
Meaning Dirk and Jameis have more wins than McCarthy and Rodgers.
If we go 8-8 or 9-7 and Dirk somehow survives, I say bring in Rivera for DC!!!!
Top 5 offense with an extremely successful and smart defensive coach who coaches a 4-3 as well!? Sign me up!
Go BUCS!!
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:16 am
This article would make a lot more sense after a loss not a win.
Like it our not Dirk led us to victory and got us in the hunt because of it. Can’t at least wait til tomorrow or Wednesday to rain on the parade?
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:25 am
Mike McCarthy couldn’t win with the best QB in the game and u want him to coach Jamies???
No thanks
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:45 am
some of you guys crack me up.
Rivera isn’t going to be a DC. If He and McCarthy get jobs they will be HC jobs. Rivera probably isn’t interested in coming to the Tampa Bucs. In fact the firing of Mcarthy pretty much means the best candidate available is going to Green Bay. What coach wouldn’t want to have Aaron Rogers? No brainer
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:50 am
The Bucs looked really good today. 4 more games to go. Let’s see how they look in those. If they win out, Koetter may just keep his job. This seasons problems were: high minus number in turnovers, and too many missed kicks. This has not been the case the last 2 games. If this continues like it was today, or at least close to it, Koetter may keep his job. If not, he’s gone!
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:57 am
Sorry I was going to bed but had to say this before closing my eyes to this dream….
LMAO….
#DK2019
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:10 am
Everyone advocating for Mike McCarthy is dunce. Dude had Favre and Rodgers with 1 super bowl between them.
If the panthers fired Riverboat Ron that’d be the best thing to happen for the Bucs. He’s a good coach and getting out of the division would be great.
Seriously, the Fire Koetter Klan has gotten so dumb it’s embarrassing. This team was trash before he got here. Just shut up, please.
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:36 am
Have I said I like winning? …I like winning 🏈🏆
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:50 am
McCarthy HC Rivera DC
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:59 am
Jerry Jones Says:
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:50 am
McCarthy HC Rivera DC
That is stupid. Why would either want to come to this dumpster fire of a team. Everyone is high right now because of two wins. Look at what happened in 2015 and 2016 we went on a little run only to choke at the end of those seasons. Tampa will win finish 6-10 with their last win coming against Atlanta. Jameis is playing better but it is still a mess. We have no running game which is product of poor shceme and offensive blocking. Without a running game we will have trouble closing out games against the next three opponents.
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:13 am
Weird things happen when you hold a team to 17 points rather than 30 or 40 AND your QB isn’t under duress as soon as he snaps the ball. Now if we could only develop a running game. And ST still slacking, no turnovers and no points.
Kudos to the defense.
If I ran the team I’d cut every 26 or older with the exception of JPP n lvd.
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:17 am
listen guys, as a DC, bring in whomever.. even that former Lions HC just for that position … Mccharthy is a proven HC in the league.. sure it ultimately didn’t work out ultimately but with the right students of the game he’s definitely a great candidate in Tampa.. look at Andy Reid in KC… after Eagles!
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:26 am
and how sad is it “hot seat” comes to journalist agenda right after a loss to a divisional game.. wait it was Bucs right?? don’t get me started please!
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:37 am
and Last point.. all this within division swamp , it hasn’t benefited Bucs AT ALL.. starting with Rich Mcay.. after he left to Falcons, personnel Doug Williams limitations, Bruce allen, etc last thing we need is a fukin trend of Rivera.. destined to debacle!
December 3rd, 2018 at 2:55 am
Joe, get with Shelton Quarels off the mic.. he ll tell you! all this swamping and hiring within division… no longer works!
December 3rd, 2018 at 3:19 am
McCarthy is overrated and rode his future HOF to career success. Importantly, his last several years have been mediocre.
December 3rd, 2018 at 3:29 am
Mike McCarthy has an abysmal record in the post season. As someone pointed out he had Favre and Rodgers at QB…TWO HOFER’S!!!!
I think most folks here love to harp on Koetter’s loyalty to Mike Smith…and it’s probably his biggest mistake. Outside of that however it’s absurd here. People get on here and type and somehow believe they know more about NFL play calling than a man who has enjoyed a successful career doing it. HIS play calling has produced one of the top offenses in the NFL with a marginal running game and two QB’s in search of their games!!!
How about his starting QB bringing a ton of controversy and off field distractions as well as a freaking three game SUSPENSION to start the season. Was that Koetter’s fault? And don’t give me but Fitz won 2 out of three…this suspension affected a LOT more than just the three games Jameis missed.
And IMHO Koetter may have made the best coaching move of any Buc’s coach I’ve followed. His job on the line when he had finally seen enough of Jameis juvenile prima donna behavior he benched him. Did that take “nads? Benching the franchise QB?
Most importantly did the move work or not? Early indications are that it worked great. The last two games JW has played within himself and within the team. I think we’re finally past eating W’s…chasing officials..starting fights with opponents…out till 3AM blackout drunk with a convicted rapist.
In truth Koetter may have literally saved the franchise with his tough love of JW. But hey he’s had it all handed to him on a platter here in Tampa….he should be winning 13 games every year. Nothing like realism.
December 3rd, 2018 at 5:42 am
“You need a Head coach that believes in JW unlike indecisive moron Klueless that throws the Franchise QB under the bus to save his job
This year has been a disaster because Klueless was coaching/juggling like a hot idaho potatoe”
Kobe Faker
December 3rd, 2018 at 6:37 am
Sorry Kobe can’t agree with that one. Two things plaguing Jameis and Fitz
for that matter after being reinserted in the lineup was the high turnover rate.
So Koetter sent Jameis a message and benched him. Nobody can say how long
it took Jameis to get the message, but its undeniable that Jameis has made better decisions and had zero turnovers in the last two games.
December 3rd, 2018 at 6:40 am
If Winston starts against Washington and the Giants at worst we have 6 losses right now. That decision will be what cost Koetter his job. JW is 4-2 in his last 6 starts and is a kicker from being 5-1.
December 3rd, 2018 at 6:50 am
Monken is going to get a head coaching job. If take Monken over for now. I’ve never been a huge ton Riviera guy.
Bring in Bruce arians!
December 3rd, 2018 at 6:55 am
Alaskan Abdominal Snowman, you are thinking outside the box a bit. Good thought about Rivera as a possible DC.
It would not have occurred to me.
____________________
Go Bucs!!!!!!
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:10 am
“Benching helped JW????
Please stop
JW came in cold because of the suspension. He was practicing against backups while Fritz was starting. JW threw a clunker against cinn. It happens to every QB. Cam and mayfield just did yesterday. JW should have been starting every game after he was shoved in against chicago. JW needed to play to get thr rust out and develop.
* JW running and scambling development from last 3 years is absolutely amazing. What he was as a rookie to present is eye popping. His work with his personal trainer to develop his quick twich explosivenesss and athleticism has never been seen in the history of QBs in the NFL
Kobe doesnt understand this lazy journalism. JW has to proof what? Last 5 games last year, JW played elite top 5 QB level.
Bring Tony Dungy in, so JW can be traded away from this horrid franchise and Klueless fanbase”
Kobe Faker
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:11 am
I don’t want to see Rivera, McCarthy or Koetter as head coach next year. Don’t hire a guy to coach a team within the same division he needs change. McCarthy is overrated and Koetter just flat out sucks. It would be funny if Winston saved his job once again just like last year. Only for the guy to suck again next and stay on the hot seat. Koetter crush on d jack sickens me
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:18 am
The one thing that makes me think we will keep Koetter is the offense. When have the Bucs ever had an offense that can score points like this one can? Never. If we could claim Kareem Hunt we would be unstoppable. If we do fire Koetter I hope we keep Monken to run the offense. We just need so help on the back end. Maybe we found it with the guys they pulled off the street to fill in yesterday. That’s the best this secondary has played all year.
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:34 am
Monken is running Dirk’s offense. Why do people think Monken can succeed with his offense at an NFL level?
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:42 am
“Klueless took complete control of the offense/playcalling vs washington and created a whopping 3 pts”
Kobe Faker
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:45 am
I agree with y’all buc fan #7423 and not there yet. Please Glazers not McCarthy or Rivera
December 3rd, 2018 at 7:55 am
Even if for some dumb reason Koetter doesn’t get fired, Licht definitely has to go. As far as HC’s go I’m for bringing in some young blood instead of these old retreads. No college coaches.
December 3rd, 2018 at 8:06 am
This is what I’ve been dreading all along, that the Bucs will win just enough this year to save Koetter’s job. And we are just as dreadful next year, despite the talent on this team….. its a real catch 22.
December 3rd, 2018 at 8:47 am
Why on earth would we want McCarthy….??? Koetter will finish with more wins and a better offense and guess what? HE DOESN”T HAVE AARON RODGERS!!! McCarthy is washed up and a typical bucs move in an attempt to hire some big name who in reality is shot. Bucs shouldn’t go near McCarthy with a 10-foot poll. Yes, he won a super bowl but that was nearly a decade ago. He has been subpar ever since.
December 3rd, 2018 at 8:58 am
The only move here is to play out the string. Dirk has been a complete dolt here at times. His hand holding of DJax and the QB situation are bad looks and his game day decisions can be moronic, at times. Let’s not even get stared on the running game (or complete lack thereof). All that being said, his players don’t seem to quit on him/continue to play hard (if not smart) in spite of the W-L record. The lockerroom footage over the past two weeks seems to validate that these guys still want to play for this guy. Still care enough to max out, when they could just as easily torpedo Dirk, if they wanted to.
How much better would this team be with McCarthy or Rivera? Are their weaknesses that much different from Dirk’s? Who knows?
We have a brutal road ahead/ if this team sniffs 8-8, it would be a miracle. Just imagine what could’ve been without Smitty and Santos as kicker earlier in the season, we’re probably 6-6, 7-5 right now.
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:43 am
Kobe
Oh please YES! 3 years of boneheaded I am going to do it my way BS. Jameis threw his team under the bus with all his BS and Koetter had enough!! He got his A$$ benched and deserved it. He was not Warming up for 3 years.
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:43 am
IMO it would be a big mistake to change coaches now. With Kotter having a big dose of BUC luck[ injuries, suspensions,misplaced loyalties, a bad case of Fitz magic syndrome] What the team now needs is consistency[ seems I remember reading that before.] HE needs to calm down and press forward. The great John Mckay quoted ” THE REASON I HAD A 5YR. PLAN. IS I HAD A 5YR.Contract” Rome wasn’t built in a day! And the Instant gratification masses need to step back and look at all the good Dirk has done for this team before they get caught in the putrid cycle that has plagued this franchise for decades!!!
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:02 am
Kobe
JW is 2-0 his past two games…he hasn’t had a turnover.
It’s night and day difference. He did NOT Play like this before the benching. Coincidence is not the same as causation but I believe the two events are related. Benching was not the ONLY reason for JW”s growth.
He now has a son…that will change a man. He’s survived the worst off season I’ve seen a star Buc go through. I think he’s finally learned the cost of being out at 3AM blackout drunk with a convicted rapist.
Jimbo certainly couldn’t control the wild child…the past two games have been a totally different JW…not just the abscence of turnovers but his decision making and his calm cool demeanor. Perhaps Koetter is the first coach to get through to him.
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:25 am
“And that brings Joe to Dirk Koetter. The mysterious X-factor in his job security is Team Glazer’s expectations before the start of this season, and then how those might have been revised after starting 2-0.”
Actually, it is how those expectations have been revised throughout the season. The Winston suspension, the Smith firing, the lousy defense, the huge number of injuries which forced rookies into starting roles, and the fact that the team is still playing hard for Koetter…all of these have to figure into any decisions they make after the season.
I’ve stated my view plenty of times:
If the team keeps playing hard and improving on the field, and if Koetter does not lose the players, then I would accept 7-9 to add a one year deal with a team option of a second year.
That would lock him in at a set price, and it would keep them from over paying should they decide next year to fire him.
I would keep Jason Licht with the same deal.
And then I would fire most of the defensive and special teams staff.
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:26 am
I would also look to upgrade the running backs and offensive line coaches.
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:32 am
Every game featuring the new Jameis, the one with good decisions, no turnovers, no bonehead antics, every one of those games will reinforce the idea that Koetter’s QB benching was a key move.
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:39 am
stpetebucsfan Says
“JW is 2-0 his past two games…he hasn’t had a turnover.
It’s night and day difference. He did NOT Play like this before the benching.”
I agree. My theory is that a number of things factored into messing with his head this year:
– The bad press from the Uber thing. Agree or not, if he believes he was innocent, then the hate heaped upon him was unjustified (in his eyes). If he was guilty, all he did was touch a woman inappropriately. He did not rape her. He did not assault her or beat her. The punishment was justified in this case, but the hate through the press? Well, let me ask this: Are the woman beaters and rapists getting the same hate? Nope. This had to mess with Winston’s head.
– We don’t know how strained his relationship with his pregnant girlfriend became as a result of the accusations. From what I understand, the two were seeing each other but not committed back then. Regardless, his girlfriend suffered through this with him. She had to justify being with him to her family at the very least. This would have added tons of stress, especially with her being pregnant. This had to mess with Jameis too.
– While suspended, Jameis had 3 weeks in which he prepared for the Bears game. He was ready for it, excited for it, only to find out he would not start. This had to mess with Jameis too.
So I figure his confidence had to be at an all time low.
I did not agree with benching him for more than the second half of that game that resulted in his benching (I forget who we were playing), but it may end up have being the right move by Koetter. If it forced Jameis to become more of a game manager, then it was a good thing.
We’re only 2 wins into this change though. How he handles being behind…that will show us if he’s really changed. Honestly, I would rather risk losing and see him make no mistakes than see him take risks to try to be a hero. At least at this point, just to make the whole game managing aspect become habit for him.
December 3rd, 2018 at 10:41 am
JW was benched because of the type of interceptions that were thrown. Please stop comparing Cam’s 4 interceptions vs JW’s 4 interceptions. JW’s were worse than what Cam threw. Nevertheless, JW cleaned up after getting benched which is good news in the long run. Coach did what he had to to get JW back on track again although it cost him games.
December 3rd, 2018 at 11:42 am
The Bucs do not need a new head coach. They needed a defense and kicker.
Koetter benching Winston was a brilliant point-driven-home move.
There is no need to gut the entire team.
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:04 pm
SPBF
“In truth Koetter may have literally saved the franchise with his tough love of JW.”
C’mon man…you don’t think that is a little (or a lot) overstated?
Surprised at you, St Pete..two wins late in a season that mean next to nothing, and now you’re all about Dork?
Smitty once had a five game stretch where his defense played well enough to be called an NFL defense.. How did that work out for us?
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:32 pm
Jmarkbuc Says
“..two wins late in a season that mean next to nothing…”
Actually, the Bucs have a shot at the playoffs because of those two wins. True, some things have to go our way, but what will the haters say about Dirk is we DO make the playoffs by some on twist?
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Freaking auto correct:
…”if we DO make the playoffs by some odd twist?”
December 3rd, 2018 at 1:53 pm
Only way Koetter keeps his job is to win out and make playoffs.
It was his decisions that screwed up the season-
Going with Smith garbage defense
Switching back to Fitzpatrick, then staying with him too long
Switching himself to calling plays and then back to OC after 1 game
Throwing Jameis under the bus because he’s pissed at Jameis over suspension
Proclaiming before season how he wants 125 yards rushing per game, yet here we are at 3 yds/carry again
Way too much pressure on qb’s – yards are keeping this OLine coach’s job – but this OLine is not consistent and flat out stinks at run blocking
The team is winning because of defense, improved kicking game and qb’s aren’t in 20 pt deficit desperation mode.
December 4th, 2018 at 12:27 am
Everyone needs to calm down and remember what most of you predicted the season win/loss record would be. More than 90% of you “the fanbase” expected somewhere around a 6/10 record. WELL. Here we are. Knocking on the door on exactly what we all thought but for somehow a lot of us are acting like our panties are in a twist. If you truly expected better, then why didn’t you all predict it? It’s really sad we want to kill any continuity, and blow it all up over an imaginary perceived notion that they should have played better than any of us even ever expected them too. We are hypocrites and it’s plain to see our players respect their coach. Welcome Back Koetter