Commanders' Dream Options to Replace Ron Rivera as Head Coach After Firing

The Josh Harris era is now in full effect for the Washington Commanders.

Harris announced Monday he fired head coach Ron Rivera with the search now on to find not only a new coach but also a head of football operations.

Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz reported Bob Myers, the former Golden State Warriors general manager who has been hired by Washington to help guide the process, has made contact with the agent for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

In general, Harris presumably wants to take a big swing with his next coach. That may help snap the Commanders out of their prolonged funk, and it would lend instant credibility to an owner who has yet to prove himself in the role.

With that in mind, here are the most logical candidates for Washington.

Jim Harbaugh

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PASADENA, CA - JANUARY 01: Head Coach Jim Harbaugh of the Michigan Wolverines catches a pass before the Alabama Crimson Tide game versus the Michigan Wolverines CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl Game on January, 1, 2024, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA. (Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

It's at least a little telling a coach with one NFC title to his name and a .695 winning percentage across four seasons has had to wait this long to get another NFL job. Perhaps Harbaugh is simply suited more for college, where the steady roster churn means his personality is less of an issue in the locker room.

But the Commanders would almost certainly accept a bitter divorce down the road if it meant a sustained run of success over three or four years.

Harbaugh would also be well suited for a franchise that's all but guaranteed to have a new quarterback of the future in 2024. Washington has the No. 2 overall pick, which will give the franchise the opportunity to get USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, LSU's Jayden Daniels or another promising young signal-caller depending on availability and who has risen up draft boards.

Bill Belichick

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Foxborough, MA - January 7: New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick talks to the media after the game. The Patriots lost to the New York Jets, 17-3. (Photo by Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

There's no getting around how bad the New England Patriots were this year or how much they've struggled since Tom Brady left as a free agent. That can be read in a few different ways.

Perhaps Belichick is simply past his prime as a head coach. His ideas and approaches are no longer as effective as they once were, and hiring him is no guarantee of success.

It's equally plausible that Belichick the coach actually did well recently but simply couldn't overcome the poor decisions of Belichick the general manager. Give the 71-year-old a roster he himself didn't build and the results could look much different than they have.

The Commanders might be in a rebuilding phase, but rebuilds in the NFL don't take nearly as long as they do in other leagues. The right coach may only need a year or two to turn Washington into a genuine contender.

Ben Johnson

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN - SEPTEMBER 24: Ben Johnson offensive coordinator with the Detroit Lions looks on during a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Ford Field on September 24, 2023 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

Ben Johnson spurned outside interest and returned to the Detroit Lions last offseason. The Lions may not be as lucky this time around.

Detroit's offense finished in the top five in both yards and points for the second straight year, and Johnson's coaching has helped rejuvenate the career of starting quarterback Jared Goff. Goff threw for 9,013 yards and 59 touchdowns across the 2022 and 2023 regular seasons.

Interest in Johnson figures to be fierce, and the Carolina Panthers might be leading the race. The MMQB's Albert Breer reported Jan. 5 that "a lot of folks internally in Carolina think that owner David Tepper will hand [Johnson] a blank check."

Ejiro Evero

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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 02: Defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero of the Denver Broncos takes notes in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on October 02, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Getty Images)

DeMeco Ryans is a prime example of how a team doesn't need to hire an offensive-minded head coach when it's planning to build around a young quarterback.

Under Ryans' watch with the Houston Texans, C.J. Stroud finished with 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdowns as a rookie, and he's already making the Panthers regret passing on him in the 2023 draft.

In what was a dreadful campaign for Carolina, the defense was a bright spot thanks to the work of Ejiro Evero. The Panthers allowed the fourth-fewest yards per game (293.9).

For Evero, it was the same story in 2022 as the Denver Broncos defense far outperformed their offense.

"Anywhere you turn while examining Denver's defensive roster, you'll find a player who improved during Evero's first season as a defensive coordinator," The Athletic's Nick Kosmider wrote last January.

It's only a matter of time before the 43-year-old makes the step up to head coach somewhere.