Carolina Panthers: Five possible replacements for Ron Rivera

Dan Quinn

For Panthers fans, this one is going to sound a little weird, so just hear me out. Dan Quinn, the current head coach of the division rival Falcons, is still in limbo in regards to his future in Atlanta. The 49-year-old coach has been the head man for the Falcons since 2015, and over that span, he has a record of 39-37, and has once won the division. Two times he has made the playoffs, and in 2016, he suffered the infamous Super Bowl loss.

Quinn and Rivera have similar career winning percentages, both have been to Super Bowls, and both are currently in disappointing seasons that have been marred by injury. However, despite all the troubles the respective coaches have endured this year, there’s one key difference between the two. For Rivera, his players don’t appear to be giving maximum effort, and it’s showing on the field. For Quinn, his Falcons are competing each and every week, and some of the team’s most influential leaders, such as Julio Jones, have even stepped up to defend the head coach. None of Rivera’s players have done that, as it’s seeming more and more likely that he has lost the locker room. If Jones’ comments and Atlanta’s hard-fought battles against opposing teams are any indication, Quinn has not.

It remains to be seen whether or not the Falcons’ ownership will retain Quinn for next season, but if they decide to move on, the Panthers need to at least give him an interview. A fiery, hands-on head coach would be a welcome addition to a Carolina franchise that in the past has had nothing of the sort. It’s also worth mentioning that prior to taking the head-coaching job in Atlanta, Quinn spent 20 years working as a defensive coach at various levels, and it was actually with Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” that he made a name for himself. Hiring Quinn may be a longshot, but if the cards fall into place and he ends up in Carolina, there’s no doubt he could find success.