Joe Lombardi enters his second season as offensive coordinator of the Chargers in 2022. The 16-year NFL coaching veteran has coached Drew Brees, Matthew Stafford and Justin Herbert to a combined 11 Pro Bowl selections.
In his first season with the Chargers, Lombardi directed an offense that was the AFC's top-ranked passing offense (282.4 yards per game) and ranked fourth in the NFL in total offense (390.2). Lombardi's offense featured four Pro Bowlers — wide Keenan Allen, Justin Herbert, Corey Linlsey and Rashawn Slater — including latter three that were tabbed as starters for the AFC. The unit was among the best in the fourth quarter in NFL history, scoring the second-most points in the fourth quarter in a single season ever (181). The offensive unit single-season team records for first downs (401) and passing touchdowns (38) in 2021.
Lombardi's offense saw Justin Herbert set single-season franchise records in 2021 in passing yards (5,014), passing touchdowns (38), completions (443) and games with 300-plus passing yards (nine). He became 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.
The unit also featured wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams eclipse 1,000 receiving yards, with Allen also setting a single-season franchise record with 106 receptions. Williams registered five go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter or overtime in 2021, the most by any player in a single season in NFL history. Along the offensive front, center Corey Linsley and rookie tackle Rashawn Slater earned second-team All-Pro honors from The Associated Press with Slater also earning recognition from the Professional Football Writers of America as an All-AFC and All-Rookie selection.
Meanwhile, running back Austin Ekeler tied for a league-leading 20 scrimmage touchdowns in 2021, scoring nine of his touchdowns in primetime games to tie Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith (1995) for the second-most by any player in a single season in NFL history. He led all NFL running backs with eight receiving touchdowns and joined Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk (2000 and '01) as the only running backs in the common draft era (since 1967) with multiple seasons of eight-plus touchdown grabs.
Lombardi coached quarterbacks for 10 seasons over two stints with the New Orleans Saints (2007-13 and 2016-20) before joining the Chargers. During his tenure, Drew Brees solidify his legacy as one of the greatest quarterbacks in history. Under Lombardi, Brees completed 69.9 percent of his passes for 44,278 yards and 338 touchdowns with 116 interceptions — good for a 104.6 passer rating — and was an all-star in nine of their 10 years together. Despite missing five regular season games in 2019, Brees still led the NFL with a league-best 74.3-percent completion mark, one season after setting the NFL record with a 74.4 completion percentage. Over their time together in New Orleans, Lombardi coached Brees to eclipse 5,000 passing yards in five seasons.
Between his stints with the Saints, Lombardi was the offensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions. In 2014 with Detroit, the offense featured Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson and wide receiver Golden Tate as the first pair of Lions teammates since 2006 to each reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Johnson, Tate and quarterback Matthew Stafford were each selected to the Pro Bowl.
Lombardi's first stint with the Saints lasted seven seasons (2007-13), including the last five as quarterbacks coach. He coached Brees to an NFL-record 54-game streak with a passing touchdown from 2009-12. Lombardi's first two seasons with the Saints were in an offensive assistant role. He broke into the NFL as a defensive assistant for the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, working primarily with a defensive line group that amassed 25.5 sacks.
Before his time in the NFL, Lombardi served as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach at Mercyhurst College for four seasons (2002-05) after coaching in various roles for the N.Y./N.J. Hitmen of the XFL (2001), Bucknell (2000), Virginia Military Institute (1999) and Dayton (1996-98).
Lombardi gained game-planning and play-calling experience in his four seasons as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mercyhurst. In his final season with the Lakers, Lombardi's quarterback room featured current Chargers Head Coach Brandon Staley, who transferred from the University of Dayton. Lombardi broke into the coaching ranks in 1996, working with the defensive line at the Dayton. In his three years with the Flyers, the team had a stretch of 20-straight wins.
A graduate of the United States Air Force Academy in 1994, Lombardi was a three-time letter-winning tight end for the Falcons and also earned a varsity letter in lacrosse at the Air Force Academy. Lombardi went on to serve a four-year tour of active duty as a United States Air Force officer following graduation. An active contributor to military-supporting initiatives throughout his NFL career, Lombardi was named an NFL Salute to Service Award nominee by the Saints in 2018 and Chargers in 2021.
A native of Seattle, Wash., Lombardi is the grandson of Pro Football Hall of Fame Coach and two-time Super Bowl Champion Vince Lombardi. Joe and his wife, Molly, have seven children.
