The Los Angeles Chargers have named their new temporary general manager after Tom Telesco and head coach Brandon Staley were let go of their jobs this morning. The interim head coach for the team will be Giff Smith, and the new general manager will be JoJo Wooden. These moves are in place until at least the rest of the 2023 NFL season but could last longer if they excel at their jobs.
we have named Giff Smith interim Head Coach and JoJo Wooden interim General Manager pic.twitter.com/SY27WBSWsi
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 15, 2023
Tom Telesco’s Replacement
Wooden joined the Chargers back in 2013 to oversee the team’s professional and college scouting departments. Before joining Los Angeles, he spent 16 seasons in the personnel department for the New York Jets and worked his way from Pro Personal Assistant to Assistant Director. He has not had experience as a general manager but will have a chance to prove himself as the 2023 season winds down.
Former general manager Telesco has been under fire for several years after failing to make notable moves during free agencies and trade deadlines. In the 2022 offseason, Telesco was able to land some big names like star pass rusher Khalil Mack and corner J.C. Jackson. He has done a decent job in drafts, getting guys like quarterback Justin Herbert and running back Austin Ekeler, but it was not enough to save his job at the end of the day.
Los Angeles Chargers New General Manager
After multiple seasons of disappointment, Chargers fans are rejoicing after the firings that took place this morning. Many are happier to see Staley go than Telesco but believe it is for the better of the organization to part ways with both guys.
Los Angeles is 5-9 and will likely miss out on the postseason this year. With Staley and Telesco gone, the team’s fans are ready for new beginnings and are hopeful for success to come their way. As for Wooden, he will likely be the general manager only for the rest of this season as this new job opening will be highly sought after, but there is a slight chance that he could remain in the position if he proves to be good enough at this new job.
For Additional Content
Please go and follow me on Twitter @TaylorHartmaNFL for more NFL news and updates. If you have any further personal questions or comments for Taylor, connect with him on Linkedin. For more articles on the NFL, go to this site here!