Ron Rivera Shouts Out Bill Belichick After Taking College Job With Cal

In a continuing trend across the NIL-era of college sports, another top NCAA football program is hiring a prominent figure to a front office role.

As first reported by CBS Sports’s Jonathan Jones, Cal-Berkeley is hiring former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera to a general manager-like role. He’ll work alongside Golden Bears head coach Justin Wilcox.

Following the news, Rivera made sure to shoutout legendary NFL head coach Bill Belichick—who is also making the jump from the pros to college for the 2025 season:

“Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool,” he texted reporters on Wednesday, via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “Stay tuned I am coming home.”

Former Commanders HC Ron Rivera texted that he is returning to his alma mater, Cal, to help the football program. “Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool,” Rivera texted reporters today. “Stay tuned I am coming home. @CalAthletics @UCBerkeley @Cal #GoBears🐻.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 5, 2025

Pretty cool.

Rivera is a two-time NFL Coach of the Year (Panthers, 2013 and ’15), and is also an alum of Cal—making his front office debut a homecoming of sorts. The 63-year-old interviewed with the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, and Chicago Bears this head coaching cycle, but was passed up by all three.

He now heads west to help the Cal Golden Bears rebound following a 6-7 season in 2023-24—their first in the realigned ACC.