The last time we could classify the Chargers as having been in possession of a “superstar” head coach was in 2006, the final year of Marty Schottenheimer’s tenure with the franchise. Schottenheimer came to San Diego with 12 previous playoff appearances and three trips to the conference title game.
He was replaced by Norv Turner (who, oddly, had been replaced by Schottenheimer in Washington back in 2000, before Schottenheimer was fired by Dan Snyder after one year to bring aboard Steve Spurrier … wild times). Turner was certainly tenured, but had just one trip to the playoffs as a head coach on his résumé before taking the job in San Diego.
After Turner, the franchise turned in succession to Mike McCoy (four seasons of NFL coordinating experience, including Peyton Manning’s first season with the Denver Broncos), Anthony Lynn (one season as a coordinator, with a long history of coaching running backs and being an assistant head coach with the New York Jets) and Brandon Staley (one season as an NFL defensive coordinator, with the 2020 Los Angeles Rams). Lynn and Staley finished their tenures at .500 or better, but were unable to harness what had become unreasonable expectations for the franchise perpetuated by the team’s employing of a handful of star players topping an otherwise hollow roster.
