15 April 2023 , 16:09
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Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera appears to be relieved now that the franchise is being sold, after offering his thoughts on the change of ownership.
Dan Snyder bought the franchise back in 1999, but it appears that Josh Harris and NBA legend Magic Johnson are set to take over after having a record bid accepted. Their offer of just over $6billion (£4.83bn) means the franchise will become the most expensive team in sports team history, should the deal goes through.
Snyder has been exploring a sale for some time following the controversial ownership of him and partner Tanya, and the Commanders franchise has been left in limbo while the NFL investigate. But Rivera is ready to move on and focus on football, following news that the Commanders are set to receive new owners.
It's very much a state of transition for the Commanders off and on the field, as upstairs they're set to receive new owners and it's all change on the roster too. Carson Wentz was released by the franchise after just one year as their starting quarterback, meaning Rivera is left choosing between Sam Howell and free agent recruit Jacoby Brissett heading towards the NFL Draft.
The Commanders could still make a move for a new quarterback, but their ownership drama may have restricted them from signing a new star. But it's likely that new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will have a say, after arriving from the Kansas City Chiefs this off-season.
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Rivera will be targeting a comeback season with his new OC, and appears to be relieved after breaking his silence on the Commanders sale. "Everybody was on pins and needles for the last couple of months," Rivera said, via The New York Post.
Rivera admitted it's been like "pins and needles" in Washington"You kind of wondered what was going to happen… Now that they’ve come up with a deal, we can continue to do what we’ve been doing."
The new expected ownership group is led by businessman Josh Harris - the Philadelphia 76ers co-owner. Also on board is Johnson who's also very familiar in the NBA world, and also has stakes in the Los Angeles Dodgers, LA Sparks and Los Angeles Football Club.
Johnson has hinted for some time that he's keen to get on board with an NFL side, expanding his ownership portfolio in some style. Johnson was also part of the Harris bid that failed to land the Denver Broncos last summer.