EL SEGUNDO, Calif — Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman was a essential step to reaching the group’s championship objectives, including that the group is in search of a “recent begin” after L.A.’s 16-3 playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
“It is results-oriented,” Harbaugh mentioned. “And as a company, we’re doing every part with one purpose in thoughts: That is to win a championship.”
Harbaugh-coached groups have a recipe that has labored for his total teaching profession: buoyed by dominant dashing offenses and stifling defenses. The San Francisco 49ers, whom he coached from 2011 to 2014, ranked second in yards per sport (139.6) over that span.
However Harbaugh and basic supervisor Joe Hortiz mentioned they are not limiting the offensive coordinator search to particular programs. They’ve interviewed only one candidate up to now, passing sport coordinator Marcus Brady, and haven’t got a timeline for the search to finish.
“We’ll compete for the perfect candidate, and it’s a beautiful place,” Hortiz mentioned.
Roman has been Harbaugh’s solely offensive coordinator within the NFL, courting again to his time in San Francisco, however Roman’s offense had scored only one landing in two embarrassing playoff losses for Los Angeles.
A few of the struggles may be tied to the Chargers’ accidents. Left sort out Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending left patellar tendon harm in coaching camp, and Joe Alt performed simply six video games, ending his season in Week 9 with a excessive proper ankle harm.
The Chargers had 29 offensive line mixtures, which ranked third within the league. Their prime free agent signing, proper guard Mekhi Becton, struggled all through the season. Becton ranked forty sixth as a guard in move block win price (91.2%) and 61st out of 62 eligible guards in run block win price (63.4%).
However Harbaugh and the group determined that Roman’s time was up regardless. Harbaugh additionally fired offensive line coach Mike Devlin.
“The NFL is unforgiving. It is unfair. It is laborious. That is the character of the enterprise,” Harbaugh mentioned. “However what we really feel like is a path that is going to make us higher, then we’re all the time striving for that.”
Exterior of Roman and Devlin, Hortiz introduced that linebackers coach NaVorro Bowman was stepping away from teaching. Bowman, Hortiz mentioned, plans to spend extra time together with his son, NaVorro Bowman Jr., a guard at Notre Dame Excessive College in Los Angeles, the No. 42 participant within the nation, per ESPN rankings.
Bowman performed below Harbaugh for 4 seasons in San Francisco, incomes All-Professional annually. He joined the workers forward of the 2024 season with Harbaugh.
“I like him and he did an awesome job, however I perceive his thought course of, so we’ll miss him,” Hortiz mentioned.
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter might depart, as he has already interviewed for a number of head teaching openings. Minter has a yr left on his contract, and the Chargers are hoping they’ll preserve him, however Hortiz and Harbaugh mentioned they’ve been making ready since final offseason for Minter to be poached to be a head coach.
“We’ll preserve Jesse so long as he needs to be right here, however I do not know the way lengthy that is gonna be,” Hortiz mentioned.
