Somehow the LA Chargers managed to reach an even lower rock bottom under head coach Brandon Staley on Thursday night. In a battle of backup quarterbacks on 5-8 teams, the Chargers allowed the Raiders to score a franchise-high 63 points, which is also the most that the Chargers have ever allowed.
This new rock bottom finally convinced the Spanos family to do something it has not done since 1998: fire a coach during a season. On Friday morning it was announced that the Chargers were firing both Staley and GM Tom Telesco.
There are four names (right now) that seem like runaway favorites to replace Staley as the head coach of the Chargers. Of course, things can change over time, but these four coaches should be monitored closely for the time being.
4 early favorites to replace Brandon Staley as Chargers head coach:
Frank Smith
Frank Smith is the lesser-known candidate who absolutely should be considered a favorite for the job. Smith checks multiple boxes that Chargers ownership is going to look for; he is well-respected in the league, has ties to the Chargers, and is probably going to be pretty cheap compared to other options.
Smith was the run game coordinator/offensive line coach in 2021 and that year's line was the best line the Chargers have had since LaDainian Tomlinson was setting records. Then he goes to Miami and plays a part (albeit in Mike McDaniel's scheme) of one of the most explosive offenses in the sport.
He isn't everyone's favorite option and there is rightfully some worries about him being a lesser-known first-time head coach. That is what got the Chargers in trouble the last three head coaches. But then again, as the old saying goes, history repeats itself so we have to assume that he would be an option.
Bill Belichick
The odds of Bill Belichick replacing Brandon Staley grew this week as it was reported that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft has already decided to part ways with Belichick after the season. Belichick reportedly has one more year left on his deal, so the Pats would either have to release him or trade him for assets.
On paper, Belichick is the perfect fit in LA. He can take over the defensive side of the ball, fix the functional mistakes in the organization, and allow his elite quarterback to do his thing. That is the recipe that resulted in six Super Bowls with the Patriots, after all.
Belichick could also feasibly have roster control with Telesco also being fired. But that leads to the elephant in the room: would Chargers ownership actually be willing to give Belichick that much control?
More importantly, would the notoriously cheap (when it comes to head coaches) Spanos family actually pay the massive salary it would take to hire Belichick? And would the team be willing to trade its second-round pick in 2024 (at minimum) to obtain his services?
It makes sense on paper, but because of all those factors and how the team historically operates, it still feels like a pipe dream.
Jim Harbaugh
The other big name that Chargers fans are clamoring for is Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. While Michigan has dominated this season and might be on the way to a National Championship, the speculation of Harbaugh returning to the NFL has only grown.
Harbaugh has flirted with the NFL for several years now and if there was ever a time for him to make a jump it would be in 2024. After all, he theoretically could have one of the best head coaching jobs in the sport and would get to coach a quarterback that we already know he loves.
If Harbaugh wins the National Championship this season then there will not be anything left to accomplish at Michigan. After a season that was filled with controversy that resulted in a suspension from the Big 10, the NFL might seem like a safe haven for Harbaugh.
The same questions about Belichick arise with Harbaugh though. The team would not need to trade assets to hire him but it would have to pay a pretty penny. Spanos has never shown the willingness to pay a head coach like he is a player, which would kill this relationship from ever getting off the ground floor.
But if Spanos is finally willing to open the checkbook and pay for a big-name head coach then there isn't a better option than Harbaugh. Because of that, and because of the fact that the Chargers' job is so tantalizing, he has to be considered an early favorite.
Ben Johnson
The Chargers went against the grain when they hired Brandon Staley back in 2021. Many assumed that the team would hire an offensive-minded head coach to coach Justin Herbert with Brian Daboll being the favorite. Instead, the Chargers went with a defensive-minded head coach.
The results obviously have not been great as Staley has piloted an awful defense and has seemed in over his head as a head coach. Herbert has bounced from scheme to scheme and with no real support, he has had to carry the Chargers to relevancy over the last three years.
Thus, the Chargers would be smart to go the other way and hire an offensive-minded head coach who can establish something concrete in Los Angeles that works and doesn't change every season. That is why Ben Johnson, who is the hottest head coaching name among coordinators, makes sense.
Johnson has done tremendous things with Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions offense and there are even higher limits he could push with Herbert as his quarterback. Johnson is one of the best young play-callers in the sport and that would undoubtedly benefit with a robot at quarterback like Herbert.
While he is a hot coordinator name, Johnson is not going to be nearly as expensive as Belichick or Harbaugh, which makes him more likely for the team. There is some risk in hiring a first-time head coach but as we said before, history tends to repeat itself.