Commanders’ Ron Rivera calls sale of team a ‘relief’: ‘A load was lifted’

After months and months of agony, questions and controversy, the Washington Commanders are on the verge of being sold.

Daniel Snyder has reportedly reached a deal to sell the team to a group led by Josh Harris, the co-owner of the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils, for $6 billion. Billionaire Mitchell Rales and NBA legend Magic Johnson are also a part of the group.

Upon learning the news, head coach Ron Rivera said he felt “kind of relief.”

“It really seemed like a load was lifted because everybody was on pins and needles for the last couple of months,” Rivera told USA Today. “You kind of wondered what was going to happen.”

There wasn’t much time to process it with the NFL Draft in just two weeks.

“Then we got right back to the draft meetings. We’ll still be business as usual,” Rivera added.

With a potential ownership change comes likely uncertainty for team personnel. 

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“At the end of the day,” Rivera said, “you have to make the best of it right now.”

Snyder has been under fire in recent years and has faced pressure to sell the team. The team changed its original nickname following the racial unrest in 2020, and the organization was fined $10 million following an investigation into alleged workplace misconduct.

Congress began investigating the team in October 2021 when allegations of sexual harassment and workplace misconduct arose after Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden stepped down following the leak of emails with then-Commanders team president Bruce Allen. 

“Riverboat Ron,” 61, was hired by Washington Jan. 1, 2020, after spending the previous nine seasons with the Carolina Panthers.

Washington owns the 16th pick of the NFL Draft that kicks off April 27 in Kansas City.

Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.