Ever since Brandon Staley took over as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers prior to last season, their fan base has subjected him to lots of criticism and even ridicule.
Chargers fans dislike how Staley often leaves his offense on the field in fourth-down situations, even when the team has the ball in its own territory, and how conservative his play-calling is otherwise, despite having one of the NFL’s true gun-slinging quarterbacks in Justin Herbert.
The latest round of criticism came after Staley played his regulars in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, a game that was rendered virtually meaningless when the Baltimore Ravens lost prior to kickoff, giving L.A. the fifth seed in the AFC.
Still, the Bolts are in the playoffs for the first time in four years, and they have the opportunity to gain some valuable experience and build something for the next few seasons.
However, if they end up winning their first Super Bowl sometime in the next few years, Staley may not be around to enjoy it, at least according to ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith, who boldly proclaimed that he will be fired if they lose in the Wild Card round on Saturday to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
"If the Los Angeles Chargers lose this game to the Jacksonville Jaguars, Brandon Staley will be fired. Period. He will deserve it. Period."
😳 @stephenasmith pic.twitter.com/gjFVCVRsuz
— First Take (@FirstTake) January 11, 2023
The NFL may be a player’s league, but the right coaching staff is needed to maximize said players.
In Los Angeles, a city that has won countless world championships in the four major sports, star power is needed and winning is what matters, and the Chargers have a talented team on both sides of the football.
The hot rumor is that Sean Payton, the former head coach of the New Orleans Saints, may have interest in the Bolts job if Staley is indeed axed.
If that rumor is true, Staley should be shown the door, even though he could eventually become a very solid NFL head coach – for another team.
Payton, on the other hand, is a proven Super Bowl-winning coach, the type the Chargers need to get to where they have never gotten to before – winning the Super Bowl.
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