The Washington Redskins officially named Ron Rivera their new head coach Wednesday.

"After several meetings with Coach Rivera, it was clear he is the right person to bring winning football back to Washington D.C.," Redskins owner Dan Snyder said in a statement. "He is widely respected around the league as a man of great integrity and has proven to be one of the finest coaches in the country."

Rivera becomes the seventh head coach hired by Snyder. Because Rivera, 57, was fired by the Panthers on Dec. 3 with a 5-7 record, and he was viewed as a strong candidate for any opening.

The Redskins fired Jay Gruden after an 0-5 start in his sixth season. Some players bemoaned a lack of discipline, something interim coach Bill Callahan said he wanted to correct.

"While I love the storied history of the franchise, I am focused on the future and excited for the opportunity to win football games with this talented young team," Rivera said in the statement. "After meeting Dan Snyder, it was clear we are aligned in our passion for the game and he supports my vision to turn the team around. I look forward to surrounding myself with great people and getting to work."

Rivera is expected to target former Jaguars and Raiders coach Jack Del Rio as his new defensive coordinator, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Del Rio, 55, is currently an ESPN analyst.

He was a defensive coordinator with the Carolina Panthers in 2002 and with the Denver Broncos from 2012-14, all for John Fox who was the head coach of those teams.

His defenses finished No. 1 overall in 2012 and '13, No. 2 in 2002 and No. 4 in 2014.

Rivera quickly turned around the Panthers, who went 2-14 in 2010, the season before he took over. Three seasons later, they went 12-4. In 2015, they were 15-1 and reached the Super Bowl. Rivera compiled a 76-63-1 record with Carolina, although the Panthers had only three winning seasons in his eight full years. They reached the playoffs four times, including in 2014 with a 7-8-1 record, and won the NFC South three seasons in a row.

Rivera also was Chicago's defensive coordinator in 2006 when the Bears reached the Super Bowl. He served in the same role from 2008 to 2010 with the San Diego Chargers. Carolina hired him as its head coach in January 2011.