Sep 17, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Chargers have fired head coach Brandon Staley, and General Manager Tom Telesco.
The move came following the Chargers’ blowout loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last night. The 6-8 Raiders destroyed the Chargers 63-21 in Vegas, causing L.A. to fall to 5-9. Staley has had a lot of questionable moments, but the organization finally had enough, and pulled the plug after the game.
The Chargers entered the NFL season with postseason aspirations, especially with franchise quarterback Justin Herbert at the helm. Instead, the 2023 season has turned into a dumpster fire with mistakes at each corner. And last night’s obliteration on Thursday Night Football was the culmination of numerous mistakes.
Personal Doormat
The Raiders had been historically bad for weeks. They hadn’t scored a touchdown since Week 12, and are being guided by an interim coach following their coach’s firing early in the season. Then, they scored the most points in franchise history against the Chargers, using them as their personal doormat. This embarrassment led to Chargers owner Dean Spanos and president John Spanos pulling the plug on both Staley and Telesco.
“I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, and wish both them and their great families nothing but the best,” Dean Spanos said via a statement. “We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need new vision. Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today.”
What about Telesco?
While Staley’s job was in the hot seat, Telesco’s job seemed safer in comparison. However, he had been GM for 11 seasons and had only two playoff wins in that time. It seemed that ownership simply had enough of the incompetence and wanted a fresh start.
As of this point, the future of the Chargers remains in the balance. They will play the Buffalo Bills at home next Saturday, while the Raiders will take on the Chiefs in Kansas City on Christmas.
