Sadly, the head coach of the San Diego Chargers, Brandon Staley, is sacked due to the mis…
The never-ending firestorm around Brandon Staley finally broke. After the Los Angeles Chargers’ lopsided loss against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night, the organization announced that Staley had been fired as head coach. This marked the end of a turbulent three-year tenure for the coach. Tom Telesco, the Chargers’ general manager since 2013, was also let go by the organization.
The franchise also declared that JoJo Wooden, director of player personnel, will take over as interim general manager and that Giff Smith, coach of the outside linebackers, will serve as interim head coach. On Friday, L.A. announced the dismissal of Jay Rodgers, the defensive line coach and coordinator of the defense’s run game.
During Staley’s tenure, the Chargers did not win a postseason game, not even with Justin Herbert at quarterback. During Staley’s three seasons as head coach, the Chargers finished 24–24 overall. While he led the team to victory in his first two seasons, this season has seen a steep decline to 5–9, raising questions about whether Staley will stay on as head coach.
Owner and board chairman of the Chargers, Dean Spanos, said, “I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication, and professionalism, and I wish both them and their great families nothing but the best.” “These are never simple choices, and I never make them lightly, especially in light of the multitude of individuals they affect.
But it’s obvious that we’re not where we should be, and we require fresh inspiration. I was not willing to accept the chance of doing nothing for the sake of continuity. Through countless highs and lows, as well as close games, our supporters have persevered. They are worthy of more. To be honest, they deserve better. Our ultimate goal is still to create and sustain a program of championship caliber. And starting today, we need to rethink how we get there.”
For the first time since 2017 and 2018, the Chargers concluded two winning seasons in a row under Staley’s leadership. For the first time since 2018, Los Angeles qualified for the playoffs, and it concluded just its second season with ten or more wins since 2009. However, despite the Chargers’ victories, Staley bears the blame for his team’s losses due to poor time management, excessive aggression, and in-game choices.
A classic example of a second-half collapse was the Chargers’ 31-30 loss in the 2023 AFC wild card game, after leading 27-0 at the half. Los Angeles actually had a better drop-back percentage (75%), compared to Jacksonville’s 70%, after establishing a 27-0 lead in the 27-point playoff loss. Despite Herbert being perfect on fourth down in the fourth quarter, Staley also notoriously faltered in Week 18 of the 2021 season, costing the Chargers a postseason berth.
In reality, in each of his three seasons as head coach, Staley has faltered in the championship game:
2021: Lost Week 18 against the Raiders, 35-32.
To secure a postseason berth, both clubs have to win or draw.
With 0:38 remaining in overtime, Staley made a contentious timeout call in 2022. Lost 31–30 in the wild card round against the Jaguars
20-0 was the Chargers’ lead in the second quarter.
represented the third-biggest lead squandered in NFL playoff history as of 2023: Week 15: Lost 63-21 at Raiders
Maximum points permitted in the Chargers’ record
0–49 in the third quarter
With Herbert starting 47 games under Staley, the Chargers only finished 24–23. In his four seasons as the Chargers’ starting quarterback, Herbert is 30-32. The offense scored 24.4 points per game on average and gave up 24.8 points per game. Since 1950, when there were at least 50 starts, that is the second-highest team point per game by a quarterback with a losing record (Trent Green was the worst). According to CBS Sports Research, Herbert has also suffered 14 losses by three or fewer points, which is the most of any starting quarterback in his first four seasons since 1950.
Staley had defensive experience, but his defenses in Los Angeles weren’t very good when he joined the Chargers. Throughout his three years, the defense never finished higher than 20th in yards allowed per game and 27th in points allowed per game. Over Staley’s three seasons, the Chargers finished 29th in yards allowed per game (359.6) and 31st in points allowed per game (24.8).
The Chargers had lost five of their previous six games before firing Staley, and Thursday’s lopsided loss to the Raiders was the last straw. The Chargers are the third team to fire a coach in 2023, following the Carolina Panthers and the Las Vegas Raiders.
