(Update: Los Angeles Chargers Fire Staley; 1 Obvious Replacement Emerges)
Brandon Staley seems to know the writing is on the wall for his tenure as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers following the team’s embarrassing 63-21 loss on Thursday Night Football to the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chargers will go into the mini-bye before playing their next game on Dec. 23 against the Buffalo Bills. The mini-bye could provide ownership with the time to fire Staley and promote an interim coach for the next three games.
Staley isn’t sure if he’ll coach the Los Angeles Chargers on Friday
Staley isn’t doing much good. Many of the Chargers’ five turnovers came because players weren’t focused or played apathetically against their divisional rival. According to Andrew Siciliano with the NFL Network, following the game, reporters asked Staley if he thought he’d survive the mini-bye.
Staley said he didn’t know.
Reporter: Do you expect to be the coach tomorrow?
Brandon Staley: "I don't know that."
Do you think you should be?
Staley: "Yes."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 15, 2023
In other words, Staley knows that loss was probably his last straw. However, Staley defended the blowout loss after saying he’s proven himself enough in the previous three years to stay in Los Angeles. He said blowout losses like the 63-21 game Thursday night were somewhat commonplace in the NFL.
“Games like this happen in the NFL,” Staley said. “Sometimes games like this happen.”
Staley: "Games like this happen in the NFL."
"Sometimes games like this happen."
— Andrew Siciliano (@AndrewSiciliano) December 15, 2023
Chargers coach Brandon Staley spoke after the blowout loss to the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/Q6zQmgWaQI
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 15, 2023
It was a bizarre answer from Staley Thursday night. Bridget Condon with the NFL Network posted a video of Staley a few weeks ago saying his proof of reaching the locker room was that the Chargers hadn’t been “blown out of the stadium” in a game.
Brandon Staley's response back on Nov. 26, after the loss to the Ravens, on if his message is reaching the locker room: pic.twitter.com/4deU02Vgf6
— Bridget Condon (@BridgetCondon_) December 15, 2023
The Chargers were blown out of Allegiant Stadium Thursday night. It’s such a bad loss that Staley doesn’t even know if he’ll have a job Friday. And if the ever confident delusional Staley is willing to admit that, the Chargers are probably drafting up the paperwork right now.
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