Bill Belichick Among Washington Commanders' Top 5 Candidates to Replace Ron Rivera

The Washington Commanders made the expected move and parted ways with Ron Rivera on Black Monday.

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Rivera's tenure in the nation's capital comes to a disappointing conclusion, posting a 26-40-1 record across four seasons with just one postseason appearance over that span.

The expectation is that with a new and aggressive ownership group led by billionaires Joshua Harris and Magic Johnson — who are motivated to build a sustained winner in Washington — the Commanders will swing for the fences for a program-building type of head coach.

Among any of the teams currently with vacancies, Washington is arguably the best-positioned franchise to orchestrate an immediate turnaround that can be sustained for years to come.

The Commanders will be able to come away with a franchise quarterback — thanks to owning the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — and boast a league-high $85.2 million in cap space this offseason. Meanwhile, Washington already has some elite weapons on offense such as wide receivers Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson. But they must come out of this offseason with an upgraded pass rush in order to close the gap on the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC East.

With Rivera fired, here's a look at the Commanders' top 5 head coaching candidates to watch:

Bill Belichick, New England Patriots Head Coach

There has never been more uncertainty about Bill Belichick's future in New England than there is now. But if the Patriots do part ways and launch an organizational reset, expect the Commanders to be the first and possibly most aggressive team to pursue the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach.

Belichick is the definition of a program-builder, and he would represent the kind of splash that Harris and Co. believe could rejuvenate a downtrodden fan base and turn the fortunes of the franchise around. Likewise, the ability to hit the reset button on the next chapter of his legacy around the likes of Caleb Williams or Drake Maye — with bountiful resources to build around a young quarterback — could be an enticement for Belichick. League sources suggested earlier this season that a bidding war for Belichick involving the Commanders could become a major storyline of this hiring cycle.

Ben Johnson, Detroit Lions Offensive Coordinator

For the second consecutive offseason, Ben Johnson will be among the most coveted head coaching candidates. Upon returning to Detroit for the 2023 campaign, Johnson helped elevate the Lions' offense to new heights and an NFC North championship.

Johnson's innovative scheme blended a commitment to a downhill running scheme with a multiple-option passing game that could stretch the field while also exploiting underneath routes routinely. The Lions finished as the NFL's No. 3 offense, second-ranked passing offense and fifth-ranked rushing offense while averaging 27.1 points per game. Given the opportunity to develop potentially the first quarterback off the board in this spring's draft and the Commanders' resources to build around him, that might push Washington near the top of Johnson's wish list.

Eric Bieniemy, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator

Hiring Eric Bieniemy might be the easiest move that the Commanders could make — while preserving some form of continuity — especially when it comes to getting the most out of Washington's offensive weapons. Given that the Commanders will be selecting a franchise quarterback, allowing Bieniemy to develop him would offer some upside — particularly considering his success alongside Andy Reid in turning Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs into one of the league's most prolific offenses. However, some league sources wondered aloud why Rivera hadn't been fired prior to the season ending — if the organization had any confidence in Bieniemy as a head coach — because it would have made a lot of sense to promote Bieniemy into an interim role to get a head start on building the culture heading into 2024.

Shane Waldron, Seattle Seahawks Offensive Coordinator

There are some real similarities between the personnel in place on the Seahawks' offense and the pieces that the Commanders will look to build around in 2024 and beyond, and that could make Shane Waldron an attractive candidate. Seattle finished this season averaging 21.4 points per game while posting 3,910 passing yards despite wildly inconsistent quarterback play. A former Sean McVay assistant, the Super Bowl-winning wunderkind's influence in the franchise could be in line with ownership's mission to completely overhaul the organization and move it toward sustained success.

Dan Quinn, Dallas Cowboys Defensive Coordinator

Dan Quinn has vowed that he would only take a head coaching job if he believes it is the "right" job, and the Commanders certainly boast a bounty of resources to turn things around quickly. Quinn's defense has become an All-Pro factory, maximizing the talent at all three levels of the Cowboys' defense. Hiring Quinn would be a shot across the bow at the NFC East champions, while offering the 53-year-old the keys to a franchise that could be quickly rebuilt into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

MORE: NFL Coaches Most Likely to Be Fired on Black Monday