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Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris is thinking outside the box as he and the organization embark on a full coaching search.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Adam Schefter reported the Commanders hired former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers and former Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman to aid in targeting candidates to replace Ron Rivera, who was fired Monday.
Myers specifically “will take a lead role in identifying and coordinating interviews with candidates for both the top football operations and head coaching jobs—with Spielman set work to closely with him, officials said,” per the report.
Harris issued a statement confirming Rivera’s exit along with the roles Myers, Spielman and limited partner Magic Johnson among others will have on the advising committee:
Washington Commanders @Commanders
We’ve parted ways with head coach Ron Rivera pic.twitter.com/wTKnbgj0GU
Myers is a two-time NBA Executive of the Year who built a dynasty in Golden State, one that captured four titles over an eight-year span. The 48-year-old had worked as a player agent for Wasserman Media Group before entering the front-office ranks.
Hiring an executive with no NFL experience to such a prominent role will naturally be met with a level of skepticism.
The Cleveland Browns did something a little similar when they hired Paul DePodesta, who worked for multiple MLB teams, as their chief strategy officer in 2016. The Browns have made the playoffs twice since his arrival, but the Deshaun Watson trade might come to define DePodesta’s tenure.
With Myers, the Commanders are hiring a proven winner who possesses skills that translate beyond basketball.
Andrew Brandt @AndrewBrandt
Josh Harris hiring former Warriors GM Bob Myers to an executive role.
First outgrowth of leveraging his ownership/experience in other sports, bringing in a proven talent from the NBA.
Don’t need a “football guy” for team-building and culture change.
David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
I think you can expect Myers to be around the Commanders for a while, not just during the search process. Not to run the team, but to be a part of how Harris puts his football operations group together.
David Aldridge @davidaldridgedc
I’ve rarely been around someone who connects disparate people like Myers does. He had great relationships with Draymond Green, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry AND Joe Lacob, and you can’t find four more different people than them. The Warriors came alive under Myers’ stewardship.
Based on Wojnarowski and Schefter’s reporting, the Commanders aren’t empowering Myers to make every football-related decision, either. That will be left to the new coach and head of operations.
Grant Paulsen @granthpaulsen
A lot is being made of Bob Myers crossing over sports. He’s not not calling plays. He’s ADVISING on the search.
He’s going to help them assemble an organizational structure and find the right football people to run this thing. He’ll sit in on meetings with GM, HC candidates.
Spielman’s involvement also shouldn’t be overlooked. A former GM for the Miami Dolphins and Minnesota Vikings, he helps to balance out Myers’ inexperience and should prove helpful in identifying prospective candidates in the early stages of the search.
The success or failure of this experiment could have a domino effect around the NFL. If this works, other owners will almost certainly look to copy the blueprint and reimagine how the organization is structured.
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