The LA Chargers fired Brandon Staley after a historic loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 15 and that gave the front office a head start on finding coaching candidates. Now that the process has officially opened, the Chargers have put out a myriad of interview requests throughout the league.
It is clear to everyone watching this unfold that Jim Harbaugh is the dream candidate for the Chargers but the team is doing the right thing to cast a wide net and interview so many candidates. This is the opposite of what the Bolts did in 2021 and that gave them Brandon Staley.
Only one person can be hired for the job so naturally most of the candidates have a slim chance. However, there is an even lower level of candidates who have absolutely no chance of actually being hired by the Chargers.
4 interviewed Chargers head coach candidates with no real chance:
1. Giff Smith, Chargers interim head coach
Giff Smith finished out the 2023 season as the interim head coach of the Chargers and he did a great job of helping the team tank. The Chargers needed to lose out to maximize the team's draft position and that is exactly what the Bolts did. After Smith's efforts, the Chargers have the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Smith is beloved by those in the Chargers locker room and that is why he got the interim job in the first place. That being said, Smith also got the interim job because he wasn't someone whom the team would be devastated to see go when a new head coach came in. That is why Ryan Ficken and Kellen Moore weren't promoted as the Chargers may want to keep them around.
The Chargers interviewed Smith simply out of respect and there is no chance whatsoever that the team brings him back to be the permanent head coach.