By Joseph Person
jperson@charlotteobserver.com

The Carolina Panthers needed only nine days to find John Fox's replacement.

The man they hired had been waiting 14 years.

Ron Rivera interviewed for NFL head-coaching jobs nine times, and nine times he was passed over.

Not this year.

The Panthers picked Rivera from a pool of four finalists - all defensive coordinators - to lead a franchise that has never posted back-to-back winning seasons in its 16-year history.

Rivera, who guided the NFL's top defense this season in San Diego, said he was excited and thrilled when the Panthers offered him the job. But he felt something more.

"I almost want to say relief," Rivera said Tuesday after being introduced as the organization's fourth coach. "When you get into playing, you strive for one thing and that's to be a Super Bowl champion. When you get into coaching, you strive to be a Super Bowl-winning coach. And that's what my goal is."

The announcement at Bank of America Stadium came a little more than a week after Fox's final game with the Panthers, who were an NFL-worst 2-14. Panthers owner Jerry Richardson chose not to renew his contract, citing Fox's inability to build the Panthers into consistent winners during his nine seasons.

Read more at CharlotteObserver.com.

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