CHARLOTTE – The Panthers have extended their contract with Ron Rivera, the reigning NFL Coach of the Year who helped Carolina reach Super Bowl 50 last season.

"It was an easy decision. Ron has worked extremely hard, and we are thrilled with our current direction," general manager Dave Gettleman said. "Mr. Richardson has established a great culture here, and Ron is a big part of that."

Rivera's previous contract ran through the 2017 season. The Panthers rewarded all of their assistant coaches with extensions through the 2018 season earlier in the offseason, and now Rivera is right there with them.

Prior to Rivera's arrival in 2011, the Panthers had never gone to the playoffs in consecutive years, and no team had ever won the NFC South division twice in a row. Carolina earned its third consecutive NFC South title in 2015, finishing 15-1 to claim the top seed in the conference for the first time in franchise history. The Panthers started the season 14-0, which, combined with four victories to close the 2014 regular season, gave Carolina an NFC-record 18-game winning streak.

The Panthers led the NFL in scoring for the first time in team history last season with 500 points, and their defense ranked in the top 10 for the fourth consecutive season.