Coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday morning following one of the worst losses in franchise history.
The Chargers made the playoffs last season, but have been one of the biggest disappointments this year at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They fell to last place in the AFC West after Thursday night’s 63-21 loss to Las Vegas.
It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin was third-worst.
The franchise did not immediately announce the interim coach and general manager. Los Angeles’ next game is against Buffalo on December 23.
Owner Dean Spanos thanked Staley and Telesco in a statement for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, but was at a loss for words as to why the move was made with three games remaining in the regular season.
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“Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood strong through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they have earned more.”
Staley — who had a 24-25 overall record — is the third NFL coach to be fired this season, joining the Raiders’ Josh McDaniels and Carolina’s Frank Reich.
It is the first time since 1998 that the Chargers have made a coaching move during the season.
Telesco has been the GM since 2013. The team has made only three playoff appearances during his tenure and has a combined score of 86-95.
When the Chargers fell behind 42-0 late in the second quarter, some thought the move should have happened at halftime.
“Brandon Staley. I hate to say this because you never want to call someone for a job, but they should fire him. They should make history. They should fire him at halftime,” Amazon Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman said. Uber
While Staley has been confident about his job security in the past, Thursday night’s massive defeat has him questioning his future. “I don’t know,” he said when asked if he would still lead the Chargers on Friday.
However, Staley was not lacking in confidence and said he should remain in office.
“I know what I’ve done here for three years, and I know what I’ve put into this. I know what we’re capable of. I know the type of coach I am, and I believe in myself.”
Staley’s questionable late-game decisions and aggressive approach in fourth downs drew many critics. The Chargers are 6-12 in games decided by three points or fewer, including 0-5 this season.
The highlight game of Staley’s tenure would be the 2022 AFC Wild-Card Round game in Jacksonville, when the Chargers went on a 27-0 run late in the second quarter only for the Jaguars to see out a 31-30 win.
Staley was hired in January 2021 after one season as defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams were the top-rated defense in the league during his tenure, but the Chargers never came close to matching that under Staley.
The Chargers are on pace to finish 20th or lower in total defense three straight seasons for the first time since 1986. They currently sit at 29th after finishing 20th last year and 23rd in 2021.
Staley brought in Kellen Moore as offensive coordinator during the offseason, but the unit regressed during the season. The offensive line struggled after quarterback Corey Linsley’s year ended after three games with a heart issue and the running game remained inconsistent.
Quarterback Justin Herbert, who signed a five-year, $252 million contract extension during the offseason, suffered finger injuries. His season ended during the second quarter of last Sunday’s game against the Denver Broncos when he broke the index finger on his right hand and underwent surgery two days later.
All three of Telesco’s hires were first-time head coaches. They all followed a similar pattern of success in the first two years, followed by a massive decline after that.
Mike McCoy led the Bolts to the playoffs in 2013 and posted 9-7 records in each of his first two years, followed by 5-11 in 2015 and 4-12 one season later.
Anthony Lynn was 9-7 in his first year before tying the AFC’s best record at 12-4 in 2018. The Chargers were 5-11 in 2019 and 7-9 in 2020.
Staley was the defensive coordinator at John Carroll, a Division III school in Cleveland, before being hired as linebackers coach in Chicago in 2017. He spent two seasons with the Bears before going to Denver in 2019 when Vic Fangio was hired as coach.
Telesco has landed most of his first-round picks, including Herbert (2020), edge rusher Joey Bosa (2016), wide receiver Mike Williams (2017), and safety Derwin James (2018). But he re-signed only four of his original picks from the second through seventh rounds.
Telesco has also struggled throughout his tenure to build roster depth, especially on a team frequently plagued by injuries.
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The Los Angeles Chargers have made the decision to part ways with head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco as the team struggles through a disappointing season. This decision comes as a surprise to many, as Staley was highly regarded coming into the season and had brought a fresh and innovative approach to the team. However, with the team failing to meet expectations, the organization has made the difficult choice to make a change in leadership. The Chargers are now faced with the task of finding a new coach and general manager to lead the team in a new direction.