Chargers fire Brandon Staley after disastrous loss to Raiders: ‘We are clearly not where we expect to be’

The Los Angeles Chargers have parted ways with head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco after the team suffered a historic loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday night. 

The decision was announced Friday afternoon after Staley, who was in his third year with the team, faced several questions about his future with the organization following a disastrous loss that saw the Chargers trailing by 42 points heading into halftime. 

“I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, and wish both them and their great families nothing but the best,” owner Dean Spanos said in a statement released by the team. 

“These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly — especially when you consider the number of people they impact.” 

“We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need new vision,” Spanos continued. “Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood strong through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they’ve earned more. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today.”

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Staley, 41, was nearing the end of his third season as head coach. He leaves the Chargers with a 24-24 record in the regular season, and 0-1 in the playoffs. 

The Raiders, who came off their own disappointing loss to the Minnesota Vikings only five days earlier, dismantled the Chargers on defense and offense. Despite their 326 total yards, Los Angeles turned over the ball five times, including Raiders cornerback Jack Jones’ pick-six early in the fourth quarter. 

“We just didn’t have a good game tonight,” Staley told reporters after the game. 

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“We didn’t have it from the beginning to the end. Just one of those games where nothing went right for us. And we’ve got a good group of guys, but it was just one of those games where all three phases — the worst thing happened to us tonight.”

Staley faced repeated questions from the media about his future with the team. When asked whether he thought he should continue on as head coach, he responded, “Yes.” 

“I know what I’ve done here for three years, and I know what I put into this. I know that we’re capable of going. 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. We’ve gotta get some rest, and we’ve gotta get ready for Buffalo,” he said. 

The loss marked a historic low for the franchise — the most points allowed in team history. 

The 2023 season was Telesco’s 11th as the Chargers’ general manager. The team did not announce who would be taking over Staley’s or Telesco’s responsibilities in the interim. 

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