The Los Angeles Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco on Friday, hours after an embarrassing 63-21 road loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Staley’s job security long has been in question, heightened since a 31-30 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC wild-card playoffs in January. The Chargers squandered a 27-point lead in that game.
Los Angeles named outside linebackers coach Giff Smith as the interim head coach and moved director of player personnel JoJo Wooden into the interim GM role.
After Thursday night’s nationally televised rout, owner and chairman Dean Spanos apparently had seen enough.
“These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly — especially when you consider the number of people they impact,” Spanos said. “We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need a new vision.”
Spanos said the franchise and its fans need to take the next step.
“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’ve earned more. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today.”
The Chargers plucked Staley, now 41, from the coaching staff of Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams before the 2021 season to replace Anthony Lynn. He has a 24-24 regular-season record, including a 5-9 mark this season.
In his first season, the Chargers needed to win in Week 18 to qualify for the playoffs but lost to the Raiders in overtime.
Telesco, 51, was named general manager of the Chargers in 2013 after 15 years in the Indianapolis Colts organization.
The 63 points scored by the Raiders on Thursday were a franchise record, and the tally also was the most the Chargers ever had given up. Los Angeles ranks 27th in opponents’ points scored per game with 24.6 and 29th in yards allowed with 375.3 per game.
After the game, Staley didn’t seem worried about his future and said “games like this happen in the NFL.”
“I know what I’ve done here for three years, and I know what I’ve put into this, and I know where we’re capable of going,” Staley said. “I know the type of coach I am. I believe in myself.”
Before he became the Rams’ defensive coordinator in 2020, Staley coached linebackers with the Denver Broncos (2019) and Chicago Bears (2017-18).
Smith, 55, has been with the Chargers since 2016. He previously coached the defensive line with the Tennessee Titans (2014-15) and Buffalo Bills (2010-12).
Wooden joined the organization in 2013 following a long stint in the front office of the New York Jets (1997-2012).
The Chargers also fired defensive run game coordinator/defensive line coach Jay Rodgers, who had been with the team since 2021. Rodgers, 51, previously coached with the Chicago Bears (2015-20) and Denver Broncos (2009-14).
–Field Level Media
