Ron Rivera at California: 2x NFL Coach of the Year expected to take on a massive role with alma mater

Ron Rivera has been involved in and around football for over 40 years. The former two-time NFL Coach of the Year was a standout linebacker with the California Golden Bears before embarking on a successful professional career that saw him lift the Lombardi Trophy with the Chicago Bears.

Rivera then enjoyed a decent NFL coaching career. He's now set to return to familiar surroundings.

According to NFL insider Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, Ron Rivera is expected to take a general manager-like role with Cal Football. A 1983 consensus All-American for the Golden Bears, Rivera will return to Berkeley to work with head coach Justin Wilcox for a new era of the program. This will be Rivera's first role in college football, and it comes after a forgettable stint in Washington.

Rivera posted on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Wednesday:

"Coach (Bill) Belichick has made going back to school cool. Stay tuned. I am coming home."

According to ESPN, Rivera's role will be mostly administrative. He will take a hands-on approach to overseeing the program and its big-picture needs, which include, but aren't limited to, coaching staff, budget and the student-athlete experience.

What will Ron Rivera bring to the Golden Bears?

Ron Rivera is a defensive expert and a brilliant football mind. He excelled as a linebacker with the Golden Bears, earning accolades such as the 1983 Pop Warner Trophy, 1983 Pac-10 Football Defensive Player of the Year and two second-team All-Pac-10 selections.

His play at Cal saw him selected by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 1984 NFL draft. Ron Rivera had a decent professional football career and was part of the Bears' Super Bowl XX-winning squad.

Following his retirement, Rivera became a coach. He worked his way up the ranks and became the head coach of the Carolina Panthers. Rivera excelled in Carolina and earned two AP NFL Coach of the Year Awards.

Rivera's addition to the Golden Bears front office can be considered a coup for the program. His experience as a player, assistant and head coach should do wonders in elevating the institution's football operations.