The LA Chargers parted ways with two coaches on the offensive staff on Tuesday. LA relieved both offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and QB Coach/Passing Game Coordinator Shane Day of their duties.
According to some NFL experts, the firing also signals that the team plans to keep head coach Brandon Staley for at least one more year.
This was the first time that Staley made the playoffs with quarterback Justin Herbert. But many thought that since his team blew this lead, and was basically responsible for wide receiver Mike Williams getting hurt in the final game of the season, he would be on the chopping block. But apparently not.
As for Herbert? He didn’t have a bad season or a bad game. Herbert threw for almost 5,000 yards and 25 touchdowns. He almost threw for 300 yards and one touchdown in their brutal loss to the Jags on Saturday.
So why were Lombardi and Day sacrificed for Staley? Well, their offense went from the fourth-best offense in the league to the 19th-best. The offense also scored 20 points or less in seven games this season. Yet, they still made the playoffs and should have won this past weekend.
But the LA Chargers sent a clear message to the staff in making this decision on Tuesday: Get yourself together or you will be next.
About Stacey Mickles
Stacey is a 1995 graduate of the University of Alabama who has previously worked for other publications such as Sportskeeda and Saturday Down South.