Update: The Chargers have fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco, according to ESPN Senior Writer Adam Schefter. The Chargers suffered their worst loss of the season and allowed 63 points to the Raiders Thursday night.
While the blowout loss is fresh in everyone's mind, Staley might be remembered most for blowing leads and late-game errors in big games. The Chargers had 14 losses since 2021 under Staley's tenure when leading by 7 points or more at any point in a game, the second-most losses in the NFL behind only the Bears (15) over that span.
Brandon Staley’s seat isn’t sizzling hot anymore. It’s virtually burnt down to the legs.
Few, if any, expect him to be back with the Chargers next season. He’s likely playing out the string at this point, and there’s a vocal contingent calling for his head after the Chargers’ embarrassing 63-21 loss to the Raiders Thursday night that wasn’t even as close as the score indicates. The Bolts trailed 42-0 at halftime and 49-0 midway through the third quarter. Things got so out of hand that even Raiders owner Mark Davis couldn't believe what he was witnessing.
The Chargers have only fired one head coach in the middle of the season — Kevin Gilbride back in 1998. Perhaps the most interesting bet fans can make at this point is whether Staley will get the can now or after the season.
Ironically, despite Thursday's massive blowout, Staley’s legacy will be one of close finishes that came up just short. Twenty-one of the 32 games the Bolts have played since the start of last season finished within seven points, and most of them ended with L.A. "Chargering."
So, how did all these dramatic finishes impact bettors? Well, it was basically a wash and rather mundane.
The Chargers are 24-25 straight up and 24-24-1 against the spread as we near the end of Staley’s third (and likely final) season. His teams performed poorly in the second half of games, going 13-28-8 SU and 14-31-4 ATS after halftime since he joined the Chargers — both are the worst marks for any coach over that three-year span.
However, most will remember Thursday night’s embarrassment to the Raiders, who set a franchise-record 63 points only four days after being shut out in a 3-0 loss. His job security was the theme of the night, both on social media and on the television broadcast.
When asked postgame if he believed he should still be the coach, Staley did his best to project confidence.
"I know what I've done here for three years and I know what I put into this and I know that we're capable of going," Staley told reporters after the game. "I know the type of coach that I am. I believe in myself, but again, this isn't about me. This is about a group that's hurting in there."
