Staley to return as Chargers coach; Lombardi fired as offensive coordinator

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COSTA MESA, Calif. — Brandon Staley might be again for a 3rd season because the Los Angeles Chargers head coach.

The identical cannot be mentioned for a few of his offensive employees.

The group on Tuesday introduced that offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day have been fired after two years.

Staley has a 19-16 file, together with playoffs, in his two seasons. He led the Chargers to their first playoff look since 2018 with a 10-7 regular-season mark.

The Chargers fell to the Jacksonville Jaguars 31-30 in Saturday’s AFC wild-card spherical recreation after blowing the third-largest lead in postseason historical past.

Los Angeles was up 27-0 late within the second quarter earlier than the Jaguars rallied.

Criticism about Lombardi’s play-calling elevated all through the season. The Chargers had been ranked ninth in complete offense, however twentieth in scrimmage yards per play together with the third-worst speeding assault within the league.

Los Angeles additionally had the NFL’s second-biggest discrepancy between passing and operating performs (65% go to 35% run).

Lombardi and the offensive employees additionally had been unable to reply to halftime changes. The Chargers had been outscored 103-52 within the third quarter, together with the playoffs. In addition they solely scored one landing within the third quarter within the ultimate 13 video games.

Staley praised Lombardi late within the common season for his capacity to regulate to adjustments due to accidents. DeAndre Carter was the one large receiver who performed all 18 video games whereas there have been two video games the place each Mike Williams and Keenan Allen didn’t play.

Allen missed seven of the primary 9 video games due to a hamstring harm. Williams was sidelined for 5, together with 4 due to an ankle harm.

Left deal with Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending biceps harm in Week 3 and heart Corey Linsley was out for 3 video games due to numerous accidents.

Justin Herbert was second within the league in completions (477) and passing yards (4,739) this season, however was slowed many of the first half of the season after struggling torn rib cartilage after taking successful throughout a Week 2 recreation at Kansas Metropolis.

Staley although additionally famous that he was searching for the unit to show the nook going into the postseason because the group was principally wholesome.

“Now that we’re nearly to full energy, we’ve to make the enhancements to be taking part in our greatest on the finish. I believe that’s what we’re trying to find proper now’s to discover a rhythm the place we are able to rating the ball at a better stage and be extra explosive as a soccer group,” Staley mentioned on Dec. 28.

It’s the second time Lombardi has not made it to a 3rd season as an offensive coordinator. He was fired in Detroit halfway via his second yr in 2015.

Herbert, who might be going into his fourth season in 2023, may have his third offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach within the NFL. Shane Steichen directed the Bolts offense in addition to being QBs coach beneath Anthony Lynn in 2020 earlier than Lynn was fired on the finish of the season.

The Chargers although stumbled down the stretch for the second straight season.

Staley went into the playoffs beneath fireplace after Williams suffered a season-ending again harm within the meaningless regular-season finale at Denver.

Final season, the Chargers dropped three of their ultimate 4 video games to overlook out on the postseason. Within the 35-32 additional time loss at Las Vegas in Week 18, Staley referred to as a late timeout when the Raiders had been content material to play for a tie, which might have put the Chargers within the playoffs.

Gamers although rallied to the protection of their coach after the loss to the Jaguars, saying Staley remains to be studying as a head coach.

“He’s a recent head coach on this league. To anticipate he’s going to know all the pieces immediately is sort of foolish,” linebacker Joey Bosa mentioned. “I believe we have to simply maintain constructing. It doesn’t occur in a single day.”

Proprietor Dean Spanos can be anticipated to retain Tom Telesco as common supervisor.

The Chargers have but to win a division title throughout Telesco’s 10 seasons as common supervisor and have solely been to the playoffs thrice in his tenure. Telesco, who mentioned earlier than the beginning of the season that the true measuring stick of a GM is wins and losses, has an 81-86 file. The Bolts’ .485 profitable proportion since 2013 is nineteenth.

“I really feel like we want to have the ability to end late within the season,” security Derwin James mentioned. “The groups that may do it in December and January, that’s when it actually issues.”