The Los Angeles Chargers are in the midst of reassembling their staff after the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman and the departure of Jesse Minter.
So far, they have done an excellent job. Mike McDaniel, one of the premier candidates on the offensive coordinator market, seems poised to join the Chargers. They will now need to find a candidate to perpetuate Minter's schematic excellence on the defensive side of the ball.
Other teams, however, have not been so lucky. In a hectic coaching cycle, the Cleveland Browns are still stuck in the wilderness. They have interviewed a number of candidates, but the top candidates on the market have already gone to other teams.
For an organization that has very little appeal to prospective candidates, they must do all they can to get this hiring cycle right.
Their inclusion of former Los Angeles general manager Tom Telesco in their hiring process will certainly not help.
Among those involved in the #Browns HC search is former Chargers and Raiders GM Tom Telesco, who has been serving as a consultant and helping the organization in its process to find a head coach.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 23, 2026
I’m told he has been in meetings with the in-person candidates. pic.twitter.com/tUbLEsTqms
Tom Telesco is assisting the Browns in their head coaching search
After beginning his career with the Indianapolis Colts, eventually advancing to Director of Player Personnel with that organization, Telesco was hired as the general manager of the Chargers. That era is remembered as one of the most disastrous in the history of the organization.
Los Angeles had just two seasons of 10 or more wins under his tenure. He was responsible for the hiring of head coaches Anthony Lynn and Brandon Staley, both of whom had shaky stints with the Chargers.
Lynn earned a 33-31 record in his four years with the Chargers. Staley went 24-24 before being fired after Week 15 of the 2023 season. In those years, Los Angeles won just one playoff game.
After his firing from the Chargers, Telesco spent one season as the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders, where he was responsible for another disastrous head coaching hire in Antonio Pierce.
Pierce went 4-13 in his lone season as head coach (not counting his half season as an interim). He was fired and replaced by Pete Carroll last offseason.
Needless to say, Telesco is not well-regarded as a decision-maker across the league. Yet Cleveland has entrusted him with helping them move forward from former head coach Kevin Stefanski.
The Browns are in a peculiar position. Although their rookie class largely excelled, they are still stuck with Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders at quarterback. This coaching search could define the future of their organization, and trusting Telesco could prove to be absolutely disastrous.