Ron Rivera on the “black cloud” on WFT: We’re trying to fix it, keep getting back into things

On Monday, it was learned that Washington football team head coach Ryan Vermillion had been placed on administrative leave due to an ongoing criminal investigation unrelated to the team.

Head coach Ron Rivera, who worked with Vermillion in Carolina before the pair came to Washington last year, declined to comment further on Monday, pointing to the statement. During an appearance Tuesday on 106.7 The Fan, Rivera was asked about a visit by federal agents to the premises of the team linked to the investigation. He declined to comment on a “legal issue” and said he was having his car washed at the time of the raid.

Rivera’s first two years with the organization saw further uproar, including a fine from the NFL for misconduct at work, the settlement of a lawsuit against cheerleaders whose images were used in a obscene video, and owner Daniel Snyder stepping down from his day-to-day franchise operating role. Rivera was asked what he would “say to people who say there is always a dark cloud” above the team.

“Well that’s what we’re trying to fix, that’s what we’re trying to fix, but for some reason we just keep getting back into things,” Rivera said. “So guys, at the end of the day we’re going to let this play out and we’ll trust the system. And we’ll go from there.

Rivera won a division title last year and the team started at 2-2 this season, so things have gone better on the pitch although some of the off-court issues continue to play out.