Washington coach Ron Rivera prefers to stay out of the public light in regards to social and political discussions and believes the conversation on the team name should be "a discussion for another time," he told the McNeil & Parkins Show on 670 The Score on Monday afternoon.
"It's all about the moment and the timing," Rivera said. "But I'm just somebody that's from a different era when football wasn't such a big part of the political scene. That's one of the tough things, too, is I've always wanted to keep that separate.
"People have wanted me to get in politics while I'm coaching and I keep telling them, 'It's not for me to get up there and influence people.' I have my beliefs, I know what I think, I support the movements, support the players. I believe in what they're doing. There are certain elements to certain things. It's all about the timing and the best time to discuss those things."
Rivera was hired in Washington on Jan. 1 after being fired from Carolina last December after nine seasons leading the Panthers.
Rivera has held many conversations with players about social justice issues privately and will let those individuals decide for themselves whether to protest during the national anthem. As for his team's name, Rivera is ready for any meaningful conversations about potential change.
"I'll just say this, I've done a lot of research on a lot of things that I do," Rivera said. "I don't go into any conversations not prepared."