There was no great mystery to solve here.
But Ron Rivera confirmed what was widely assumed when the Washington Football Team launched Dwayne Haskins on Monday.
It was his decision. He checked with owner Daniel Snyder first, of course. But he made the call.
“I made the decision,” Rivera said Wednesday, according to the Washington Post. “I informed the owner of my decision. He supported me and it was something I felt we should do. I thought it was in the interests of both parties ”.
Haskins was never Rivera’s guy
Rivera’s admission is no surprise. He was not with the team when she summoned Haskins in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft. Rivera eliminated Haskins twice this season, including during Sunday’s terrible performance against the Carolina Panthers. He had also just removed Haskins from his captaincy after a breach of the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol.
That Rivera called is obvious. But it remains noteworthy.
Snyder was previously “fixed” on Haskins
Snyder is believed to have handpicked Haskins with choice # 15 in 2019. He was “obsessed” with the Ohio state quarterback and did not participate in any interviews, except for Haskins in the pre-draft combination.
This scenario embodies Snyder’s top-down meddling that has plagued his tenure as owner since he bought the franchise in 1999 – a 22-year reign of dysfunction, failure, incompetence and alleged misconduct.
For longtime fans who witnessed the glory days of Joe Gibbs who came with three Lombardi trophies, nothing would be sweeter than the expulsion of the detestable franchise owner, his shameful shadow. Since that option is not at stake – for now, at least – Snyder stepping back and letting people with football competence make competent football decisions is the next best thing.
And it looks like he may be doing just that for the first time since he bought his favorite team.
Did Snyder really give up control of football?
Snyder promised to hand over the keys to Rivera when he hired him in the last off-season. Rivera arrived as a respected and practical coach and manager with years of experience in the NFL. It was the exact type of hiring that an owner ready to hand over control to someone who knows better than he would.
But still, it’s Snyder we’re talking about. Would he really let Rivera run the show? Could he really resist his desires for control?
So far, it seems so.
In making decisions like dismissing Haskins and cutting Derrius Guice in August, Rivera is acting on what appears to be legitimate autonomy in football decisions. Is this autonomy due – at least partially – to Snyder’s focus and the onslaught of legal battles outside the field? Possibly. The promised and necessary cultural change in Washington extends far beyond the football field.
But until – and if – Snyder is forced to sell, any sign of his giving up power in the organization is a step in the right direction. And Washington fans will be happy.
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