Washington Redskins set to hire Ron Rivera as next head coach

Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Washington Redskins are expected to hire former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera as their next head coach, barring any last-minute complications.

League sources told ESPN and the Washington Post that Rivera is scheduled to meet with the Redskins on Monday. The team is expected to make a strong push for the deal to be finalized by the end of the day.

The news comes on the same day that Washington fired team president Bruce Allen. The Redskins hope the moves can revitalize a franchise that hasn't won a postseason game in 14 seasons.

Rivera will become the seventh head coach hired by Redskins owner Dan Snyder. If the deal is completed, Washington would fulfill the Rooney Rule immediately as Rivera, 57, is a minority candidate.

The Panthers fired Rivera on Dec. 3 after the team posted a 5-7 record entering the final month of the regular season. Washington parted ways with former coach Jay Gruden after a 0-5 start in his sixth season.

Rivera was hired as the fourth head coach in Panthers history in 2011. In his nine-year tenure in Carolina, he compiled a 76-63-1 record in the regular season and a 3-4 postseason mark.

Rivera also guided the Panthers to a Super Bowl appearance and three NFC South titles and finished as the winningest coach in franchise history. He was a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, but ended up with only three winning seasons since taking over in 2011.