Head coach Anthony Lynn confident in Chargers culture heading into 2019
By Blake Atwell
ESPN’s Neil Everett interviewed third-year Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn to discuss the team’s goals as the 2019 season approaches.
When Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn goes to sleep, he dreams about one thing. He sees the Bolts holding the Lombardi Trophy as the last team standing, celebrating as powder blue confetti rains down.
Lynn spent his Sunday afternoon in ESPN Los Angeles’ SportsCenter studios, answering questions about how close the Chargers are to making their Super Bowl dreams a reality. He described the current state of the organization as “healthy,” citing the team’s unified culture.
According to Lynn, the Chargers have everyone on the same page. He believes this is the first step towards competing for a championship, but also notes the Chargers must focus on making it back to the playoffs for a second straight season before looking ahead to anything else.
“You can talk about it in June all you want,” Lynn said. “But you’ve got to go do it in September, October, November, December and January.”
Since being hired by Los Angeles in January 2017, Lynn has garnered a 22-12 overall record with back-to-back second-place finishes in the AFC West. He’s gained a reputation as a player-friendly coach, but emphasized how the 2019 Chargers are a unique group full of, “Players coaching players.”
The Chargers’ leadership, led by veterans such as Philip Rivers and Brandon Mebane, holds themselves accountable just as much as Lynn does.
“When players buy in that way, I think that’s powerful and we’re only going to go as far as [they] take us,” Lynn said.
When asked about the pressure of trying to win a title as Rivers enters his 16th season with the Chargers, Lynn responded, “There’s been a sense of urgency, for me, from day one.” Neil Everett also wondered whether or not Lynn could recite the names of Rivers’ nine children. He jokingly replied, “Maybe I could, but that would be showing off.”
Lynn also discussed the Chargers’ new Hollywood Park stadium, set to open for the 2020 NFL season. The stadium will be part of a 300-acre campus, sharing property with an entertainment district. Lynn thinks the stadium will be iconic, and doesn’t believe there’s anything like it elsewhere.
Until next season, the Chargers will play their home games at Dignity Health Sports Park, formerly known as the StubHub Center. The field in Carson is built for soccer, but offers a unique experience for Charger fans.
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As Lynn describes it, “If I’m a fan, I want to go buy a ticket and watch a game there because it’s unique. When I walk into that stadium, I can talk to people in the stands. I can hear people talking, they can hear me talking. You’re never going to be that close to players again.”