Commanders' Ron Rivera says he has a lot to prove to new ownership group

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When Ron Rivera met with new boss Josh Harris after the Washington Commanders sale became official, the message was simple.

It wasn't quite as clear and direct as "Just win, baby." But there's no doubt new ownership expects Rivera and the Commanders to win more than they have in recent years.

Rivera goes into his fourth training camp as Washington's coach and director of football operations and first since Harris' group that includes Magic Johnson bought the Commanders from longtime owner Dan Snyder, firmly under the microscope — and he knows it.

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Head coach Ron Rivera of the Washington Commanders looks on during the organized team activity at INOVA Sports Performance Center on June 8, 2022 in Ashburn, Virginia.  (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

"I’ve got a lot to prove because I really do think we’ve put ourselves in a really good position," Rivera said Tuesday at his annual camp-opening news conference. "We're a good, young football team with some key veterans at key positions, and now is the opportunity to go. And, yeah, I do feel that I do want to prove some stuff."

Rivera understands he needs to prove himself all over again, just as he did in a similar position with the Carolina Panthers in 2018 when David Tepper took over as owner. He already had seven years on the job and a Super Bowl appearance under his belt by that point in Carolina and made it through less than two more seasons before being fired.

It's a much smaller sample size this time. Washington has made the playoffs once in three seasons with Rivera in charge, going 22-27-1 in the regular season.

Those