"When you use draft capital and it doesn't work out, like Dwayne Haskins, or some of these other guys. Nothing has worked thus far and it's been a constant carousel for Washington at the sport's most important position. After the Dwayne Haskins experiment failed, Rivera has gone down multiple avenues trying to find his future franchise quarterback. Yet in Washington, Rivera did not inherit a team with a quarterback of the future. In Carolina, Rivera had that with Cam Newton, the head coach's first-ever draft pick in 2011.
One of the most important factors in establishing sustained success in the NFL is having a franchise quarterback. Yet, when Holmgren was hired by the Cleveland Browns as a front-office executive, he failed to lead Cleveland to the playoffs and was fired three years later after just 14 wins over three seasons from 2010-2012. So even though Rivera had mostly success over his nine years with the Panthers, Smith does not believe that will necessarily equate to winning in Washington. And I hate to say it this way, but the Washington Football Team, from the inside out, has a lot of turmoil, a lot of dysfunction and has made a lot of terrible picks." But sometimes great coaches cannot resurrect you from the dead all the time. I know Coach Rivera to his core - great coach. That doesn't always equal success," Smith said. The ex-NFL wideout explained that his perspective on the structure and ins and outs of organizations has changed since he became an analyst - that Washington's overall dysfunction might be too difficult for Rivera to fix. Smith's opinion is not necessarily a reflection of his former coach, though. "I don't know what planet y'all live on, but years ain't gonna get you nothing," Smith said Thursday on 106.7 The Fan's B-Mitch & Finlay.
Success bigger picture how to#
However, Smith - now an analyst for NFL Network - is not sold on Rivera's big picture, 3-to-5 year plan of how to turn his new club, the Washington Football Team, into an annual contender. During those three years together, Smith saw Rivera inherit a two-win team and turn it into a playoff-level club.
Success bigger picture professional#
spent the first 13 seasons of his decorated professional career with the Carolina Panthers, with his final three campaigns under the leadership of head coach Ron Rivera.