Head coach Brandon Staley of the Los Angeles Chargers was widely expected to be fired if his team performed poorly in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs.
NFL insider believes that Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley will be back
In 2021, the Chargers made a smart move by hiring Staley, a rising defensive coordinator, to help them win games and build a solid defense to back up Justin Herbert.
Staley has become one of the early favorites to be among the NFL coaches fired in 2023 after his team’s poor play in Week 18 of the previous season cost Los Angeles a playoff berth.
The regular season for the Chargers was marked by inconsistency and injuries. Los Angeles started the season 1-2 but has since won three in a row. The season went downhill from there, with a 6-5 record going into November, but a four-game winning streak at the end of the year secured a postseason berth.
Staley was scrutinized as the Chargers qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2018 and just the second time since 2014. There was talk of replacing Staley if Los Angeles struggled in the playoffs, with Sean Payton interviewing with other teams.
There has been talk that Staley could be fired and Payton could take over after the loss, but both scenarios are still possible in 2023.
Jim Trotter of NFL Media predicts that the Chargers will not fire Staley this season. His thinking is in part based on the fact that the Chargers have, supposedly, never seriously considered firing their head coach. The financial burden of making a switch is another factor that could convince Staley to remain.
Staley’s coaching record stands at 19-15.
Even though this was Staley’s second season as head coach of the Chargers, he still has the support of his players. After losing on Saturday, Herbert, Derwin James Jr., and Joey Bosa all stood by their coach.
“That’s my guy. He’s put a lot into it. A lot of guys believe in him in the locker room. I definitely believe in him.”
Trotter adds that monetary factors, such as pay, might play a role in the choice. Reportedly, Payton wants a multi-year contract extension worth at least $20 million per season. When compared, Staley’s annual salary is a relatively modest $4 million.
The expense of making a change may be too much for owner Dean Spanos, who is considered to be one of the NFL’s most financially strapped owners.
Since keeping Staley would save the most money and the team’s locker room still backs the head coach, the only possible coaching staff changes this offseason would involve the offense.
