Rivera 'fired up' about Commanders' ownership change

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera said he's thrilled by the team's ownership change at training camp.

"You can already feel the impact," Rivera said Tuesday, according to Scott Abraham of 7News DC. "A lot has to do with the reaction from the fan base, more so than anything else. Our guys have also felt it. They've felt it because of the fan base. It's neat. You look outside and see the setup for fans, and the guys are really getting into this. It's a unique feeling. It's exciting. I'm fired up about the opportunity as we go forward."

NFL owners unanimously approved Josh Harris and his ownership group's purchase of the Commanders from Dan Snyder last week, ending Snyder's scandal-filled tenure with the franchise. His 24 seasons in charge were tainted by alleged workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, and financial impropriety, leading to investigations by the NFL and Congress.

The Commanders reportedly sold for a record $6.05 billion.

"A lot of it has to do with just the feeling that so many people are behind us," Rivera said about the excitement that's been generated by the sale of the Commanders. "It was different when you're having to deal with stuff outside football. Now it's about football. We're gonna focus on what's important for us, and that's playing the games."

Washington - which went 8-8-1 in 2022 - hasn't had a winning season since 2015. The Commanders head into the 2023 campaign with a new-look offense after hiring coordinator Eric Bieniemy and naming 2022 fifth-round pick Sam Howell their new starting quarterback.