While we cannot say that we are going to be complimentary to Ron Rivera if his Washington Redskins fare well against Promo Marketing’s Philadelphia Eagles this season and beyond, we can reveal that we became fans of his on Saturday. Heading to the Humane Society of Charlotte, Rivera sold $30,237 in promo items from his time as head coach of the Carolina Panthers, with proceeds to assist the charity’s campaign for a new campus and research space.
In total, the Rivera family helped raise over $30,000 for @humanecharlotte's new facility today.
And on top of that, both Charlotte and the Riveras had the opportunity to say a final goodbye and thank you: https://t.co/jCPYi57IG4
— Alaina Getzenberg (@agetzenberg) February 16, 2020
After guiding the franchise for nearly nine seasons and tallying 79 combined regular-season and playoff wins, the 58-year-old received his walking papers in December 2019, leaving as the Panthers’ all-time leader in coaching victories. Because of his clout and their opportunity to be altruistic, approximately 3,000 supporters sought something from Rivera’s collection, to the tune of more than 1,000 products.
Since the Redskins’ new hire has gained renown as a T-shirt buff, we can be sure that he parted with a few of them so as to give the Humane Society a boost. According to ESPN, other items included bags, hats, a toboggan, sweatshirts, jackets, pet beds and sideline shoes Rivera wore in his time with the Panthers.
Rivera claimed two Associated Press NFL Coach of the Year honors and brought the Panthers to the brink of immortality thanks to an appearance in Super Bowl 50. We doubt that anyone wanted to relive that 24-10 loss, the sting from which kept the world from being able to buy some pretty cool merch.
No matter the weight of that setback from four years ago and his firing two months ago, Rivera does not seem to have seen his reputation dip, as fans lined up for hours to purchase the wares from him and items donated by former players and seek his autograph. Since he logged so much time with the Panthers, he had acquired “a lot of stuff,” making us eager to know which promo products did not even come close to leaving his possession. We’re wondering if he ventured to his new job with, say, a T-shirt or 2,000.
