Coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday morning after one of the worst losses in franchise history.
The Chargers made the playoffs last season but are one of this year’s biggest disappointments at 5-9, with losses in five of their last six games. They dropped into last place in the AFC West after Thursday night’s 63-21 loss at Las Vegas.
It was the most points allowed in franchise history and the 42-point margin was the third-worst.
The franchise did not immediately announce who the interim coach and general manager will be. Los Angeles’ next game is against Buffalo on Dec. 23.
Owner Dean Spanos thanked Staley and Telesco in a statement for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, but he did not mince words on in why the move was made with three games remaining in the regular season.
“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,” he said.
Staley — who had an overall record of 24-25 — is the third NFL coach to be fired this season, joining Josh McDaniels of the Raiders and Carolina’s Frank Reich.
It is the first time since 1998 that the Chargers have made an in-season coaching move.
Telesco had been the general manager since 2013. The team only made three playoff appearances under his tenure and were 86-95 overall.
When the Chargers fell behind 42-0 late in the second quarter, some thought the move should have happened at halftime.
“Brandon Staley. I hate to say this because you don’t ever want to call for somebody’s job, but they should fire him. They should make history. They should fire him at halftime,” Amazon Prime Video analyst Richard Sherman said. “We’ve got an Uber X carpool outside and we’ll send you on your way because right now, I’ve never seen a team come out this uninspired.”
While Staley had been confident about his job security in the past, Thursday night’s titanic defeat had him questioning his future. He said “I don’t know” when asked if he would still be leading the Chargers on Friday.
However, Staley wasn’t lacking in confidence and said he should remain in charge.
“I know what I’ve done here for three years, and I know what I’ve put into this. I know what we’re capable of. I know the type of coach that I am, and I believe in myself,” he said.
Staley’s questionable late-game decisions and aggressive go for it approach on fourth downs drew many critics. The Chargers were 6-12 in games decided by three points or less, including 0-5 this season.
The defining game of Staley’s tenure will be the 2022 AFC Wild-Card round game at Jacksonville, when the Chargers had a 27-0 lead late in the second quarter only to see the Jaguars rally for a 31-30 victory.
