The Los Angeles Chargers have their new head coach. On Sunday night, the team announced that they had agreed to an agreement with Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley as their new boss. According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the 38-year-old man was the Chargers’ top pick all along, and now one of the NFL’s brightest defensive minds will have a chance to take on what could be considered the most attractive job on the open market.
“It doesn’t matter if you have known Brandon for five minutes or five years, what quickly becomes apparent is the amount of energy and passion with which he approaches each moment,” said Football Operations President John Spanos in a statement. communicated. “The consistency of this enthusiasm is unique and, most importantly, it boosts your ability to connect with people. Your coaching journey for this specific moment is inspiring; if not for the sheer perseverance and determination of everything, certainly for the dramatic results it has produced for people. teams and players he coached. I know it’s cliché, but I know that Brandon literally can’t wait to start working. I also know that we can’t be more excited to have him as the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers. “
Rapoport Reports that the Chargers quietly scheduled a second interview with Staley for after their playoff games. He had other interviews scheduled, but the Chargers apparently had no intention of letting him go without a deal. Staley has just finished his first and will be his only season with Rams as a defensive coordinator. The Rams had the No. 1 defense in the NFL in terms of yards allowed per game (281.9) and passing yards allowed per game (190.7). The 18.5 points per game they allowed was also first in the league, which was the main reason why Rams ended with a 10-6 record and returned to postseason after a year-long hiatus.
At the Super Wild-Card Weekend, the Rams faced NFC West champion Seattle Seahawks, who defeated 30-20 despite being unlucky. Los Angeles held Russell Wilson just 174 yards in passing, defeated him once and led the Rams into the playoff division round, despite not having a healthy quarterback. The Rams ended the season on Saturday when they were defeated by the Green Bay Packers 32-18.
Staley started his coaching career in 2006 in Northern Illinois as a graduate assistant. He jumped into the NFL in 2017 as an external linebacker for the Chicago Bears and served in the same capacity with the Denver Broncos for a single season in 2019. Now, after just four seasons in the league, Staley has been given the opportunity to lead this Chargers franchise on future.
“It is difficult to put into words how excited I am about the opportunity to be the coach of the Los Angeles Chargers,” said Staley in a statement. “While this is certainly a dream come true, it is also a dream that has just begun. There is a reason why this was probably the most sought after job out there – from the property, to the fans, to the city, to the men in that locker room – it’s the total package. I can’t thank the Spanos and Tom Telesco family for putting their faith in us, and by the time everyone is reading this quote in a press release, we’ll already be working hard to develop a Charger fans program in all places can be proud of. “
Several reports indicated that Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll was the favorite to get the Chargers job, which certainly seemed to make sense, considering that the Chargers found their future quarterback in Justin Herbert, and might want Daboll to come. and develop it a lot like you did with Josh Allen. Instead, the Chargers are maintaining the defensive side of the ball, but that does not mean they are ignoring the attack. Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network reports that the Chargers are confident of Staley’s plan for Herbert and that they will work out the details of their technical team in the attack. Garafolo says that retaining offensive coordinator Shane Steichen is a possibility.
Staley is due to replace Anthony Lynn, who was fired earlier this month. He compiled a 33-31 coach record with the Chargers and went 1-1 in the postseason.