Panthers coach Ron Rivera yesterday "defended his decision to use" team Owner Jerry Richardson's name "during his postgame, locker-room speech Sunday after the Panthers clinched a playoff berth," according to Joseph Person of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER. Rivera "asked his players to shout Richardson’s name following the 22-19 win against" the Buccaneers. Critics on social media and Charlotte sports-talk radio "questioned Rivera’s decision to rally around an owner accused of maintaining a pattern of sexually suggestive language and behavior and, in at least one instance, directing a racial slur at an African-American scout." Rivera: "I know nothing about that. I can only speak for what he has been to me and the players. And that’s why I did it.” Person notes Richardson "relinquished his day-to-day duties last week" to COO Tina Becker, but he was "back in his owners suite Sunday alongside his wife, Rosalind" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 12/27). NBCSN's Mike Florio notes coaches use "anything they can to motivate their players." While using Richardson's name might not be the "right way to motivate the players ... those sensitivities don’t make their way into an NFL locker room.” NBCSN’s Chris Simms: “I don't think this is necessarily the best look in general, with an outstanding investigation into workplace misconduct. Let's make him the rallying cry? What if there's bad stuff there? You're not going to feel too good about that after the season if you know he did do egregiously bad things." Florio: “What if some of the bad stuff comes out during the playoffs and some of the players say, ‘What the heck are we doing rallying around Mr. Richardson?’” (“PFT,” NBCSN, 12/27). FS1's Shannon Sharpe said, "This makes no sense to me. For Ron Rivera’s and Cam Newton’s sake, I hope that there are all allegations and they can be proven as such. Because if they’re not, Ron Rivera and Cam Newton are going to have some really, really tough questions to answer." FS1's Joy Taylor: "This is why people don't come forward when something happens to them" ("Undisputed," FS1, 12/27).
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL OR MONDAY NIGHT RAW? Former ESPN anchor and WWE personality Jonathan Coachman suggested that WWE Chair & CEO Vince McMahon could be interested in bidding for the Panthers. There has been speculation that McMahon may be looking to revive the XFL, and Coachman said, "Just because he’s talking about getting back into football, let’s remember where Vince’s home base is -- North Carolina." Coachman: "Vince has legitimate money. He's a billionaire, he could come up with the funds. He’s also at the age where the owners would respect that." The 72-year-old McMahon was born in Pinehurst, N.C., and attended East Carolina Univ. Coachman admitted he did not know of any formal plans that McMahon has to bid on the team. Coachman: "I’m just saying how cool it would be" (TMZ.com, 12/26).
