Ranking 32 NFL head coaches based on presidential potential

3. Ron Rivera – Carolina Panthers

Many casual fans of the NFL look at the Carolina Panthers this offseason and see cornerback Josh Norman departing as something of a bad omen, why with Norman emerging as one of the best defensive backs in football last season. As such, you’d think that losing him would put the Panthers defense in a state of distress moving forward. However, those people forget to account for the Ron Rivera factor.

One of the trademarks of the Rivera era in Carolina is the head coach’s ability to not over-rely on  individual players. Yes, he depends a great deal on Cam Newton offensively and Luke Kuechly defensively. However, it’s the system Rivera has placed around his two strongest pieces that has been so impressive. Rivera has displayed a masterful ability to surround his stalwarts on both sides of the ball, to where everyone is given a chance to perform beyond their seeming limits. That’s a rare trait in a football coach, and a major factor in why the Panthers have been so successful.

It’s also something that would be valuable in the highest political office in the United States. Not that Rivera Rivera would be able to surround himself with nothing but regular Joes off of the street. But his understanding of how those pieces fit within the broader puzzle is what makes Rivera one of the more unique coaching minds in football today.

Next: No. 2 Pete Carroll