#Chargers hire Rams DC Brandon Staley as head coach

The Chargers are keeping it local for their next head coach.

Los Angeles has hired the crosstown Rams’ defensive coordinator Brandon Staley for their head coaching vacancy, the team announced Sunday night.

Staley spent just one year as the Rams’ DC, during which he orchestrated the No. 1 defense in the NFL behind dominant play from Jalen Ramsey and Aaron Donald. He will inherit another strong group of defensive players, including Joey Bosa, Derwin James and rookie Kenneth Murray.

Staley rose quickly through the ranks of the NFL, first hired in 2017 by Chicago as an assistant coach under then-Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. He followed Fangio to Denver in 2019 to serve as the outside linebackers coach before joining the Rams in 2020.

In addition to the defense, Staley will inherit second-year QB Justin Herbert, who showed star potential in his first season in the NFL, throwing for 4,336 yards and 31 TDs. It will be interesting to see who the Chargers hire as their offensive coordinator, considering they went with a defensive-minded head coach.

The team was rumored to be looking at Bills OC Brian Daboll for the vacancy, but chose to go with Staley instead. Staley will take over for Anthony Lynn, who was fired after four seasons.