4 head coach candidates the Chargers must avoid at all costs
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers are officially in the market for a new head coach after firing Brandon Staley. Giff Smith will lead the charge for the rest of the regular season and then the focus will turn to finding a coach that can elevate the Chargers.
There are a lot of compelling candidates to replace Staley. Who the team should ultimately hire has split the fanbase, with different candidates getting different levels of support. Should the team go experienced? Or take a chance on a big-name coordinator? Will money play a factor? These are all talking points that the fanbase has debated.
There should be a split between the haves and the have-nots and there are certain candidates that simply should not be hired by the Chargers. Daniel Popper of The Athletic recently outlined 13 potential head coaching candidates for the Bolts and we are here to break down who the team should stay away from.
The Chargers shouldn't hire Bill Belichick (if he wants roster control)
There is real speculation about Bill Belichick leaving the New England Patriots after the 2023 season and on paper, the Chargers make perfect sense. The Chargers have an elite franchise quarterback who can carry the offensive side of the ball while Belichick fixes the culture and the defense.
As a coach, Belichick still has a lot to offer. The problem is that if the Chargers want Belichick, he likely won't just be a coach. Belichick has had roster control in New England and with no GM on the Chargers, he would likely expect the same thing in Los Angeles.
You think Tom Telesco's drafts are bad? Belichick has arguably been worse over the last several years in drafting players. Just look at the players that he is trotting out there on the offensive side of the ball.
The last thing the Chargers need is someone in his 70s who might be over-expending himself that at this point, might just be chasing the all-time wins record (and a pay day). Belichick is the greatest coach of all time, but he is not in his prime and he is not a good GM. If he doesn't want to just coach, then he shouldn't come to LA.