First-time NFL head coaches who begin their tenure with back-to-back winning seasons almost never find themselves on the hot seat, but Brandon Staley’s case is an exception.
Staley is coaching one of the best young quarterbacks in football in Justin Herbert, he makes some of the boldest decisions of any coach in the league, and he has arguably fallen short of huge expectations. Add in an unnecessary controversy from Week 18 this season, and his future in Los Angeles becomes cloudy.
The Chargers are in the playoffs for the first time since 2018, but is a simple playoff appearance enough to earn Staley a third season?
BENDER: NFL playoff picks, predictions for wild-card games
Here’s what you need to know about Staley’s job status heading into the Chargers’ playoff matchup with the Jaguars on Saturday night:
Will the Chargers fire Brandon Staley?
It isn’t known whether Staley needs a playoff win to save his job, though ESPN reported Wednesday that “there’s outside chatter” Staley and Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy “could be in trouble if their team doesn’t make a deep playoff run.”
MORE: Herbert vs. Lawrence: Comparing the stats of young Chargers and Jaguars QBs
No one from the Chargers’ front office has commented publicly about Staley’s job status, and Staley still has two years remaining on the four-year deal he signed in 2021.
Staley might have made himself more vulnerable in Week 18 when he opted to play his starters in a meaningless game against the Broncos. Mike Williams, Joey Bosa and Kenneth Murray all exited with injuries, and Williams is set to miss two to three weeks with a fracture in his back.
MORE: Chargers injury updates: Williams, Bosa
While players backed Staley after the game, the injury to Williams makes Saturday’s game in Jacksonville a tougher battle than it had to be.
If Staley’s first two seasons coaching Herbert produce one playoff appearance and zero playoff wins, it’s not inconceivable that the Chargers look at other options, including former Saints coach Sean Payton.
Staley also came under fire in 2021, when he earned a reputation for making fearless fourth-down decisions. Many didn’t work out, and they contributed to losses to the Chiefs and Raiders that kept the Chargers out of the playoffs. His decision-making has not been scrutinized as heavily in 2022.
MORE: Watch Chargers vs. Jaguars live with fuboTV (free trial)
If Staley has to make his case to the Chargers, he can say he was able to produce a playoff berth despite Williams, Bosa, Keenan Allen, J.C. Jackson and Rashawn Slater all missing large chunks of time. A win over the Jaguars, of course, could put all of the speculation to bed.
Brandon Staley coaching record
| Year | W | L | Pct |
| 2021 | 9 | 8 | .529 |
| 2022 | 10 | 7 | .588 |
| Total | 19 | 15 | .559 |
Of the seven head coaches hired immediately after the 2020 season, Staley’s 19-15 record is second to only the Eagles’ Nick Sirianni. Staley and Sirianni are the only two coaches from that hiring cycle to reach the playoffs.
