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          NFL Nation

          Panthers closing in on Ron Rivera?

          • Pat Yasinskas, ESPN Staff WriterJan 10, 2011, 02:46 PM ET
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            • Previously covered NFC South for ESPN.com
            • Covered Panthers for The Charlotte Observer from 1999-2008
            • Began journalism career with The Tampa Tribune in 1990
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          Although Charlotte is getting hit with a winter storm, it hasn’t stopped the Carolina Panthers from moving ahead with their coaching search.

          The Panthers reportedly are holding a second interview with Ron Rivera. The location of the meeting isn’t known and it’s unclear if team owner Jerry Richardson is involved in this meeting. General manager Marty Hurney and team president Danny Morrison previously met with Rivera, San Diego’s defensive coordinator, in California.

          Last week, Richardson said he would let Morrison and Hurney narrow the list of candidates before he got involved. The Panthers also have had interviews with Perry Fewell, Rob Ryan and Greg Manusky.

          The second interview for Rivera could be a sign the Panthers are closing in on him. When John Fox was hired in 2002, he was the only candidate to get a second interview.

          Speaking of Fox and the weather, he had to postpone his interview with the Denver Broncos because he was unable to fly out of Charlotte due to the storm.