Coach Ron Rivera: 'Tired' of Washington Commanders being 'easy target,' but winning is the fix

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera called the organization an «easy target» to attack, but said there's only one way to alter their reputation.

«Quite honestly I'm tired of it, I really am,» Rivera said. «But the only way to fix it is winning and that's the truth.»

Since Washington hired Rivera after the 2019 season, he has had to contend with numerous non-football related issues, from a name change to sexual harassment allegations by former employees that predated his regime. The NFL investigated the team's workplace culture for nearly a year, and it was fined $10 million after an oral report was given to commissioner Roger Goodell.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee then became involved in October amid calls for the NFL to release the findings of the investigation. There was a February roundtable session in which former employee Tiffani Johnston accused owner Dan Snyder of sexual harassment. The NFL announced it would investigate that claim.

Recently, Anheuser-Busch dropped its sponsorship with the franchise, though no reason was given.

All of this has led to a perception that Washington was a mess and a place players want to avoid, a notion that Rivera strongly refuted.

«Let's stop assuming, let's stop hearing stuff secondhand and throwing that out at us,» he said.

The team was not active in free agency, but traded for quarterback Carson Wentz. His $28 million cap hit lessened what they could or wanted to do in the early stages of free agency. Another player, running back J.D. McKissic, opted to return after agreeing to terms with the Buffalo Bills.

Team president Jason Wright has turned over the business side in his 18 months on the job. Tanya Snyder became the co-CEO of the