
10 Things You May Not Know About Panthers Coach Ron Rivera
If you didn't know about "Riverboat Ron," now's the time to find out.
Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera is deservedly getting some major shine after becoming the second Latino to lead his team to the Super Bowl. As the match-up between the Panthers and Denver Broncos draws closer, we're compiling a list of #didyouknow tidbits about the former Chicago Bears linebacker.
READ: Ron Rivera Becomes 2nd Head Coach of Latino Descent To Reach The Super Bowl
Although die-hard Rivera fans may know his many accolades as an All-American player for the UC-Berkeley Golden Bears, you may not know about his short-lived career as a sports journalist, or even that he has some pretty dope dabbing skills. Above are 10 interesting facts you may want to get hip to before possibly seeing "Riverboat Ron" win the Super Bowl…


1. Rivera was a military brat

2. His role model didn't play professional football
As a kid, Rivera's idol was Puerto Rican baseball player Roberto Clemente.

3. Rivera was a college football phenomenon
Before graduating high school, Ron won a scholarship to UC-Berkeley to play football for the Golden Bears. At UC-Berkeley, Ron played as an All-American linebacker and demolished several school records.

4. Rivera was the 1st Puerto Rican football player to win a Super Bowl
When he played for the Chicago Bears, Rivera became the first Puerto Rican player to win the Super Bowl in 1985. The Chicago Bears beat the New England Patriots 46-10 at Super Bowl XX.

5. Rivera had a brief career in sports journalism

6. Rivera's job as head coach was rumored to be in jeopardy in 2013

7. Rivera's nickname "Riverboat Ron" is trademarked
Since becoming head coach of the Panthers, Rivera has come to be known as "Riverboat Ron." The moniker started to stick after his swift change of coaching styles in 2013, which seemingly showed the instincts of a riverboat gambler. Since the name has become more popular, Rivera and lawyers have filed to trademark his humorous alias to try and use it to help out the community. "We're trying to figure it out and it's out there and people have kind of jumped onto it so I figured what the heck," Rivera said. "If it's going to be out there then let's see if we can do something in the community with it."

8. The Rivera family home was nearly burned to the ground
Last Fall, Rivera was at home in bed when he and his wife, Stephanie, were awaken by their fire alarm. With several other family members in their home, their security provider CPI helped guide them to safety before they could be seriously injured.

9. Rivera and his family love to help their community
One of the Rivera's favorite things to do is give back. Ron and his family assist with fundraising efforts year-round for veterans and cancer research. They are very active raising money to fight pancreatic cancer, which took the life of Rivera’s brother Mickey in 2015.

10. Ron Rivera's dabbin' skills are up to par
Although he's not a big fan of hoverboards, Rivera still knows how to turn up with his team. The Carolina Panthers and quarterback Cam Newton had a stellar year, and what better way to celebrate than to dab it out. Earlier this season, Rivera attempted to turn up in the locker room by giving into the Dabbin' fever after their victory against the Washington Redskins. How do you rank Rivera's dab?