Commanders’ Ron Rivera fires defensive line coach, cites ‘difference in the philosophy’

The Washington Commanders have fired defensive line coach Sam Mills III just a few days into the start of training camp. 

Ron Rivera, who is heading into his third season as head coach in Washington, announced that he relieved Mills of his duties on Tuesday, telling reporters that Jeff Zgonina would take over as defensive line coach.  

“I made a change on the coaching staff,” Rivera told reporters on Tuesday. ‘I relieved Sam Mills of his duties. Just a different philosophy for the most part. And we’ll go from there.”

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“Just some observations,” Rivera added. “To me, I just felt it was a change I needed to make. Feeling there was a little bit of a difference in the philosophy.”

Rivera told reporters it was a decision he made himself, not asking any of the players for their input. Rivera added that the move stemmed from the 2022 offseason and training camp, and was less about the struggles of the defensive line during the 2021 season. 

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Rivera and Mills have a long history of working together, with Mills spending the 2011 through 2019 seasons in Carolina with Rivera. Mills joined the Commanders in January 2020. 

“Very difficult. I’ve known Sam a long time, and (he’s) a very good football coach,” Rivera said of their relationship, according to NFL.com. “And I really appreciate everything that he’s done. He helped us win the division the first year, and things got tough last year. There were some things I felt I wanted to change.”

Rivera told reporters that he had never made a change on his coaching staff during training camp, and players were told prior to practice, according to ESPN.

“It’s sad,” Washington defensive tackle Jon Allen said. “Me and coach Sam were getting along well, we were really making some progress as a defensive unit. It’s the NFL; people have to remember it’s a great game but a terrible business.”

Washington opens the preseason on Aug. 13 against the Carolina Panthers.