Cal is set to hire former Carolina and Washington head coach Ron Rivera in a "General Manger-like role," according to a report Wednesday from Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports.
The position will be Rivera's first at the college level since leaving Cal more than 40 years ago.
Rivera played linebacker for the Golden Bears from 1980-83 (he was on the field for "The Play" in the 1982 Stanford game), which positioned him to become a second round selection of the Chicago Bears in 1984. The Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-American was a member of the Bears' famed 1985 Super Bowl team and remained with the club through 1992.
Rivera entered the media upon retirement, then moved into coaching in 1997, where he helped the Bears reach a Super Bowl as defensive coordinator, then led the Panthers to Super Bowl 50 as head coach.
He spent 2024 out of football after being let go as the Commanders head coach, and is now set to return to the game in a key off-field position after receiving interest as an assistant at the NFL level.
Justin Wilcox, the 18th-longest tenured head coach at the FBS level, has re-made much of his staff heading into Year 9 in Berkeley.
New offensive coordinator Bryan Harsin leads an offensive staff that features Utah State offensive coordinator Kyle Cefalo as wide receivers coach/passing game coordinator, FootballScoop Offensive Line Coach of the Year finalist Famika Anae leading the O-line, Julian Griffin as running backs coach, and former Hawai'i and Washington State head coach Nick Rolovich as a senior offensive assistant.
Jason Novak, formerly the head strength coach at Michigan State and James Madison, has taken the role as head athletic performance coach.
Now, Rivera will take a senior role in shaping the Bears' roster. Jones notes that Rolovich's role will be similar to Andrew Luck's at Stanford, "helping the program, coaches, players, fundraisers and athletics department navigate the new waters in college athletics."
“Coach Belichick has made going back to school, cool,” Rivera texted ESPN's Adam Schefter. "Stay tuned I am going home."
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.