4-5 is not how the Chargers wanted to look halfway through the season. But here they are, coming off a close but disappointing defeat to the Lions.
Brandon Staley's offense ranks near the top of the league in 2023, yet he's just not getting results. He has oodles of star talent in Justin Herbert, Austin Ekeler, and Keenan Allen -- he just also has the unavoidable curse of the Chargers franchise that may continue causing him and the Chargers' fanbase an indescribable amount of suffering and pain.
After this season, it may be time for Staley and the Chargers to part ways, and if so, there are quite a few intriguing candidates to take over as head coach.
Here are four Staley replacements the Chargers should have highlighted in their phonebook.
4. Ben Johnson (Lions Offensive Coordinator)
The man who took down Staley in Week 10 also happens to be one of the best candidates for his job.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was at the center of head coaching rumors all throughout last offseason, but he decided to stay in Detroit to continue what he started. It's anyone guess as to whether Johnson will stay the path with the Lions after this season.
Based on recent years, he's proved himself to be a uniquely talented offensive mind who may know just want to do with the Chargers' abundance of talent.
Just look at how Johnson has gotten this 7-2 Lions team rolling. Jared Goff looks like a new man, recording career-bests across several categories. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery might be the best running back room in the league, and Johnson was able to bring out the best in both in Week 10. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been blossoming and is arguably close to touching the rarified air that Tyreek Hill, Cooper Kupp, and A.J. Brown breathe.
We'd bet there are a lot of Chargers fans who would squeal with excitement over hiring Ben Johnson.
3. Jim Harbaugh (Michigan Wolverines Head Coach)
Maybe this year is the year? Not the year that Michigan gets punished for its involvement in a sign-stealing scandal, but the year Jim Harbaugh finally makes his return to the NFL.
Harbaugh hasn't coached in the league in a decade. His last stint spanned from 2011 to 2014 when Harbaugh helmed the 49ers; he also spent a few years on the Raiders earlier in his career.
Despite the red flags surrounding Harbaugh and Michigan's sticky situation, the Chargers could use someone who can first and foremost get them to the playoffs. Harbaugh strung together three 11-plus win seasons and playoff berths in San Francisco, one campaign of which nearly ended in a Super Bowl title. Even though he's been out of the league for a while, he boasts all the attributes of a successful coach.
He has a knack for player development, arouses inspiring camaraderie, and is capable of changing things on the fly. With the fires burning in Michigan, Harbaugh may be looking for a lifeboat next season, and the Chargers should absolutely throw him a line.
2. Kellen Moore (Chargers Offensive Coordinator)
If the Chargers don't want to rock the boat but want to get rid of Staley, promoting Kellen Moore feels like the obvious answer.
The former Cowboys offensive coordinator drew up some impressive plays in Week 10 to go toe-to-toe against Ben Johnson's rapid-firing Lions. Moore has helped Justin Herbert thrive this season despite injuries to key players (Ekeler, Williams) and despite Herbert picking up a knock or two along the way.
Moore has his faults, and the Chargers' offense isn't perfect. L.A. tends to perform worse in the second half of games (the Chargers are ranked 26th in second-half offense), which could stem from a combination of mentality and coaching issues.
Still, Moore has the added advantage of having worked first-hand with Herbert and the offense for one full season. He's gained the team's trust and should have no problem taking the reins in a potential head coach position.
1. Bill Belichick (Patriots Head Coach)
Seeing Bill Belichick in a blue-and-yellow hoodie on the sidelines next season will feel strange, yet it's not as ludicrous as one might think.
Belichick's current future with the Patriots is up in the air, even with the leaked report that Belichick quietly agreed to an extension last offseason. After losing to the Colts in Germany, piling up a nasty 2-7 record this season, and whiffing on key draft picks for the last several years, Belichick's reputation has plummeted in his post-Brady coaching career.
How can he revive it? By joining a new team and leading them to playoff success. Belichick would get a franchise quarterback in Herbert and an already stacked team in the Chargers, allowing him to focus on the coaching and less on the drafting.
A coach of Belichick's pedigree hardly needs any explanation. Yes, he can be a bit old fashioned, and yes, he's not nearly as hip as Mike McDaniel or as likable as Dan Campbell, but he helped start a dominant dynasty in Foxboro and could make a similar impact in Los Angeles.
He won't come cheap, and he seems like a bit of a prickly personality to work with. At the end of the day, if it's wins that the Chargers' front office wants, no coach has won more than Bill Belichick.
