On Thursday night the Chargers lost to the Raiders 63-21, setting a few dubious records. It was the most points the Bolts have ever allowed in a game. It was the most points the Silver & Black have ever scored in a game. It was such a disaster that, as Las Vegas was leading 42-0 at the break, TV analyst Richard Sherman was openly calling for Chargers head coach Brandon Staley to be fired.
About 15 hours later, that's exactly what happened.
The Bolts fired Staley and general manager Tom Telesco on Friday morning. It's only the second time under ownership of the Spanos family that a coach has been let go mid-season (the other being Kevin Gilbride in 1998). Staley finishes his head coaching run with the Chargers with a 24-25 record (including playoffs), which is by no means bad. However, the last two months have been filled with losses, culminating with the TNF blowout to a longtime rival that, just four days prior, had been shut out in the lowest scoring indoor game in NFL history.
Franchise co-owner and chair Dean Spanos released a statement through the team's social media channels.
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Staley, who spent a year as the Rams defensive coordinator under Sean McVay, was hired before the 2021 season to replace Anthony Lynn with the idea that he would help make the defense an elite unit. But, under Staley's guidance (he is also the defensive play caller) they've ranked in the bottom third of the league in total defense each season.
The Chargers are spending more than $100 million on their defensive personnel alone, 3rd-most in the National Football League, but the results have obviously not been there, which is one of the reasons Telesco was let go. He took over before the 2013 season and, while he did draft superstars like Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, and Joey Bosa, the Chargers selections have largely not panned out. The team has made just three playoff appearances with two postseason wins in his 11 years in the front office.
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Many people in NFL circles who've been predicting the move thought offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, who's been praised as a future head coach candidate, would take over on an interim basis. Instead, the Chargers will have outside linebackers coach Giff Smith coach the last three games. Director of player personnel JoJo Wooden assumes interim G.M. duties.
