Ron Rivera told his players Dwayne Haskins will be Washington's starting quarterback for Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles, then he reflected on a similar declaration he made almost a decade ago.
Rivera was entering his first season as an NFL head coach with the Carolina Panthers, who months after hiring him drafted Cam Newton first overall. After enjoying several years of success with Newton, including a trip to the Super Bowl, Rivera hopes he's embarking on a similar path with Haskins as his starter.
''I made a commitment 10 years ago to another young quarterback and just told him, 'Hey, you know what, I'm choosing you because I believe in you,''' Rivera said Wednesday after practice.