Ron Rivera went from surely fired head coach to a guy about to cash in on a big extension.
On the heels of their best season in five years, the Carolina Panthers have reached out to Rivera to begin negotiations on a contract extension, a league source told the Charlotte Observer on Sunday.
The 52-year-old Rivera led the Panthers to a 12-4 record this seasons, the teams first playoff birth since 2008, and a NFC South title.
The Panthers went a combined 13-19 in Rivera’s two first seasons, when they lost 12 of 14 games decided by a touchdown or less.