Rivera sells Panthers items, raises $30K for charity
Former Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera decided to shed some of the apparel and memorabilia he accumulated in nine years with the team, and he made more than $30,000 for a local charity in the process.
The new coach of the Washington Redskins, Rivera joined with his wife, Stephanie, on Saturday to hold a yard sale to benefit the Humane Society of Charlotte. Fans lined up outside the facility three hours before the sale's start time for a chance to shop and to meet Rivera, who signed autographs.
"It's an opportunity for us to give back to a community that's been so supportive. From the time I got here, Stephanie and I started building a relationship in the community, the community's been so good to us," Rivera, 58, told The Charlotte Observer. "We wanted to make sure we gave back every opportunity we could, and this is our swan song, our last opportunity and really just to say thank you one last time."
Items for sale included shirts from Super Bowl 50, which the Panthers lost 24-10 to the Denver Broncos, and Rivera's briefcase, the Observer said, adding the total earned was $30,237.
The idea for the sale came from Tammy Reid, wife of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who did something similar when their family left Philadelphia after 13 seasons with the Eagles.
The Humane Society will put the money earned toward its building fund.
The Panthers fired Rivera after 12 games in the 2019 season, his ninth in Carolina. His record was 76-63-1.
--Field Level Media
