After playoff collapse, Chargers fire OC Joe Lombardi & QB Coach Shane Day

The Los Angeles Chargers did not fire Brandon Staley as head coach. They did however move on from two of their key offensive personnel members. The team announced it parted ways with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and passing game coordinator/quarterbacks coach Shane Day just days after the Chargers’ epic wild-card loss To the Jacksonville Jaguars.

This was the likely outcome if Staley wasn’t traded to the Chargers. Lombardi was the second year of the Chargers’ team. Despite reaching the playoffs, their offense somehow got worse. Justin Herbert’s production also declined – his yards per attempt, yards per completion and yards per game all dropped during his second year. While some of this could be due to Herbert’s rib injury earlier in the season or injuries to the Chargers’ offensive line and receiving corp, nothing can be done after the Chargers were outscored 31-3 by the Jaguars in the second half.

You might be surprised at how many people are unaware of this. Staley wasn’t fired alongside his offensive staff after a season of questionable decisions – none greater than Staley’s decision to keep his starters in a meaningless Week 18 game that ended with receiver Mike Williams suffering a back injury that kept him out of the wild-card game. Perhaps Herbert’s words and those of other Chargers locker-room leaders are more accurate. who vouched for their coach After the loss. The Chargers defense allowed just 11 points per contest during a four-game winning streak which saw Los Angeles reach the playoffs for only the second time in Staley’s career, and the first time since 2018.

Staley will stay on at least one more season while the Chargers begin searching for an offensive coordinator.