The Los Angeles Chargers hired Brandon Staley as the 17th head coach in franchise history, becoming the first Bolts head coach with a defensive background in over a decade. One of the most progressive minds in football, Staley brought an aggressive approach to the Chargers in his first season.
In his first season at the helm, Los Angeles offense set single-season team records for first downs (401), passing touchdowns (38) and fewest fumbles (10). The offensive unit also scored 181 fourth-quarter points, good for the second-most in a season in NFL history. Staley called a defense that led the NFL with 11 strip-sacks and paced the AFC with 19 forced fumbles. Six Chargers were selected to the Pro Bowl, including five that were tabbed as starters.
The first-year head coach helped develop quarterback Justin Herbert to his first all-star game as the second-year passer set numerous single-season franchise records, including completions (443), passing yards (5,014), passing touchdowns (38) and games with 300-plus passing yards (nine). He led the AFC in 2021 in each of those categories and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times. Herbert became the third-youngest player to throw for 5,000 yards in a single season (23 years, 305 days) and is the only player to throw for 5,000 yards and rush for 300 yards in the same season. In the team's Sunday Night Football victory over Pittsburgh in Week 11, Herbert threw for 382 yards and ran for 90, becoming the only player ever to top 350 passing yards and 90 rushing yards in a single game.
Staley also coached wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to record-setting seasons. Allen was named to his fifth-straight Pro Bowl after the California product hauled in a franchise-record 106 catches on the year. 2021 marked Allen's fifth-straight season with at least 95 catches, good for the second-longest streak in NFL history. Meanwhile, Williams registered five go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter or overtime, the most by any player in a single season in NFL history.
In the running game, Staley's efforts helped running back Austin Ekeler tie for the league lead with 20 touchdowns, tying for the second-most by a Charger in a single season. Ekeler scored nine of his touchdowns in primetime games, tying Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith (1995) for the second-most by any player in a single season in NFL history, training only Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss' 11 in 2007 with New England.
Staley and his staff coached center Corey Linsley and rookie tackle Rashawn Slater to be named starters for the Pro Bowl and earn second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press. Slater was also recognized by the Professional Football Writers of America as an All-AFC and All-Rookie selection. As an offense, Bolts led the NFL with 22 fourth-down conversions and seven two-point conversions.
On the defensive side of the ball, outside linebacker Joey Bosa was named to his fourth Pro Bowl after leading the NFL with seven strip-sacks in 2021. He finished with 10.5 sacks and his seven forced fumbles ranked second in the league. Meanwhile, safety Derwin James Jr., returned from missing the 2020 season due to injury to be named an all-star after totaling 118 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks and three forced fumbles — becoming just the fourth defensive back in the last 20 seasons to post 100 tackles, multiple sacks and multiple interceptions and force at least three fumbles in the same season. James also became the first defensive back in at least 20 years to total 100 tackles after missing the entire previous season due to injury.
Staley coached four Pro Bowlers before joining the Chargers, some of the most dominant defensive NFL players in recent memory — Khalil Mack in 2018, Von Miller in 2019 and Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey in 2020. Three of those players (Mack, Donald and Ramsey) were also recognized as AP first-team All-Pro selections.
As one of the most progressive defensive minds in football, Staley overhauled a Rams defense to become the best defense in football in 2020. The unit ranked No. 1 in total defense, passing defense and scoring defense while finishing as the third-best rushing defense. The Rams defensive unit improved by more than four points per game in scoring defense from 2019 to post the best single-season average allowed by the team in nearly two decades.
Staley brought innovation on defense from college to the NFL, serving as outside linebackers coach in Chicago (2017-18) and Denver (2019). He served on Vic Fangio's staff in Denver after following the former defensive coordinator from Chicago. The 2019 Broncos defense led the NFL in red zone scoring, allowing a touchdown on just 39.1 percent of red zone drives — the second-lowest allowed by any NFL defense in the last five seasons. In his two years with Chicago, the Bears led the NFL in takeaways (58) while tying for No. 2 with 92 sacks. Staley was part of a staff in 2018 that coached the top-ranked scoring defense in football (17.7 points per game).
Prior to coaching in the NFL, Staley spent three seasons (2013, '15-16) at John Carroll as defensive coordinator/secondary coach and the 2014 season as defensive coordinator/linebackers at James Madison. In his final season as a collegiate coach, Staley earned National Coordinator of the Year honors for Division III by leading the John Carroll unit to rank third in the nation in total defense (218.0 yards per game) and fourth in scoring defense (12.6 points per game).
Before his stints at John Carroll and James Madison, Staley was a graduate assistant in 2012 at Tennessee. Staley held his first coordinator job as associate head coach/defensive coordinator at Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College from 2010-11. Over those two seasons, he helped develop Cordarrelle Patterson, Markus Golden and De'Vondre Campbell into NFL Draft picks.
Staley began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois (2006-08) before coaching the defensive line and special teams in 2009 at the University of St. Thomas. He played quarterback at the University of Dayton, serving as a team captain and was a two-year starter from 2003-04, helping the Flyers post a 16-5 record as the starter. He ended his playing career at Mercyhurst College, playing there in 2005 with his twin brother, Jason. A native of Perry, Ohio, Staley and his wife, Amy, have three sons — Colin, Will and Grant.
