The Chargers are cleaning house.
Head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco are out, the team announced.
The news follows Thursday night’s debacle in which the team lost to the Raiders, 63-21, and Amazon studio analyst Richard Sherman suggested that Staley should be fired at halftime when the team was losing 42-0.
The team, which had playoff aspirations this season, is 5-9 and in last place in the AFC West.
Staley had been head coach since 2020, having previously been the defensive coordinator on Sean McVay’s Rams staff.
Staley entered this season on the hot seat after the Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to lose 31-30 to the Jaguars in the playoffs in January.
The Chargers did not immediately announce an interim head coach.
Telesco had been the GM for 11 years.
“I want to thank Tom and Brandon for their hard work, dedication and professionalism, and wish both of them and their great families nothing but the best,” Chargers owner Dean Spanos said in a statement.
“These decisions are never easy, nor are they something I take lightly — especially when you consider the number of people they impact. We are clearly not where we expect to be, however, and we need a new vision.
“Doing nothing in the name of continuity was not a risk I was willing to take. Our fans have stood through so many ups and downs and close games. They deserve more. Frankly, they’ve earned more. Building and maintaining a championship-caliber program remains our ultimate goal. And reimagining how we achieve that goal begins today.”
Last offseason, the Chargers signed starting quarterback Justin Herbert to a five-year contract extension worth up to $262.5 million.
Earlier this week, Herbert underwent season-ending surgery to repair a fractured finger on his throwing hand.
Whomever takes over the Chargers’ front office will have a considerable roster-construction challenge on his hands, as the Chargers are an estimated $45 million over the 2024 salary cap, according to Spotrac.
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