The Los Angeles Chargers selected their new head coach Brandon Staley a couple of weeks ago, as most fans likely know by now. However, virtually the rest of the entire Chargers coaching staff got changed as well. While some moves were surely expected, it was also thought that the Chargers might keep one or both of last year’s offensive coordinator and quarterback coaches – Shane Steichen and Pep Hamilton, respectively – at least to keep some familiarity for the young franchise quarterback Justin Herbert. But that didn’t happen. So now we have a lot of new faces. Let’s take a look at and evaluate these new hires – or at least the major ones, anyway.
Looking at the New Los Angeles Chargers Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Brandon Staley
Obviously, one has to consider the main new face of the coaching staff. Staley was a somewhat unexpected hire, as many fans weren’t expecting a former defensive coordinator. However, he is somewhat unique among d-coordinators. He referred to himself as a “defensive coach with an offensive mind,” due in part to the fact that he played quarterback in college. So he’s personally spent some level of time on both sides of the ball, albeit in different capacities. And for whatever it’s worth, that mindset helped the Los Angeles Rams become the #1 defense in the league in 2020.
Staley said a lot of the right things during his opening press conference – including regarding his plans for Herbert, who will not be forced to adjust to a “specific system” from Staley. The new coach’s vision for the offense intends to allow Herbert to play to his strengths. That’s the sort of thing you want to hear. And his unique coaching perspective may end up being a boon as well. Time will tell whether he will prove to be a strong head coach in this league, but he seems to be laying a good groundwork – and after his first press conference, he’s gotten more viewers excited for what’s to come.
Offensive Coordinator: Joe Lombardi
This is a rather interesting hire. Lombardi does have a history as an offensive coordinator, but it’s not an entirely positive one. He was with the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2015. The difference between those two years was night and day. In 2014, his offense succeeded and made the playoffs even with Calvin Johnson injured about half the year. In 2015, the team started a disastrous 1-6 and he got fired.
He has a much longer history with the New Orleans Saints, where he has been the quarterbacks coach from 2009-2013 and 2016-2020. That’s been working pretty well, so perhaps he at least has a way with quarterbacks. And it seems like he may have learned from at least some of his mistakes in Detroit. Time will tell if that proves to be true. Also on the plus side, he has expressed a willingness to be more aggressive on fourth down, and—like Staley—to build the offense around Herbert rather than force him into a system. Given his disastrous finish in Detroit, optimism should probably be a little more guarded here, but perhaps he will have learned from his mistakes with the Lions.
Defensive Coordinator: Renaldo Hill
One could be forgiven for having no idea who Renaldo Hill is. This is his first gig as a defensive coordinator in any capacity, having been promoted from being the defensive backs coach of the Denver Broncos. We don’t know a ton about him as a defensive coach, but Denver is about as good of a place as any to snag and promote a defensive staffer from. Having started with Denver in 2019, he’s also coached current Charger Chris Harris before. And Hill and Staley were on the same staff in 2019, which is presumably part of why Staley picked him. Knowing that and how closely they worked together during that time, it’s probably fair to give Staley the benefit of the doubt on this one.
Special Teams Coordinator: Derius Swinton
Most Chargers fans will likely just be glad to have a new special teams coach after the disasters of last season. Swinton has been an assistant special teams coach for multiple teams and was the actual s/t coach for the San Francisco 49ers in 2016. He only lasted that one year, but that can likely be blamed on Jed York jettisoning that entire staff after one unsuccessful year of Chip Kelly.
Swinton and Kelly worked together in 2017 on the Chicago Bears, so this is presumably another familiarity hire. The issue of the head coach and special teams coach being pals was part of the problem last year, though. On the other hand, after last year, it can only get better. The main concern is whether they plan on bringing in some kicking competition and getting somebody that can actually kick reliably from 45+ yards.
Last Word
Those are the main faces of the new Chargers coaching staff. They’re still filling some of the lower-end staffing positions, but a lot of them have in common the fact that they’ve worked with Staley before. Staley seems to be trying to put a lot of familiar faces that he trusts around him; hopefully that will pay off.
The biggest concern overall to some (besides whether Lombardi will be a better OC this time) may be how many of the new coaches/coordinators don’t have experience in the position they’re now doing. As said earlier, many fans probably had never heard of Renaldo Hill. But such coaches inevitably have to get a higher-level opportunity at some point. And Staley seems to be quickly winning over the viewers. Only time will tell if this head coach and his staff are finally what the Chargers have been looking for since Marty Schottenheimer – but Staley’s foundation and vision, which he is trying to extend to his staff, look promising.
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