Shane Day returns to the Chargers for his third season with the team as quarterbacks coach in 2024. One of the top quarterback gurus in football, he again works with quarterback Justin Herbert, who he coached to a Pro Bowl selection in 2021.
Day worked as a senior offensive assistant with the Houston Texans in 2023, assisting the offense to lead the NFL in fewest giveaways (14) and rank No. 2 with 41 passing plays of 25-plus yards. He also helped quarterback C.J. Stroud be selected to the Pro Bowl and earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors from The Associated Press and the Professional Football Writers of America. Under Day's tutelage, Stroud eclipsed 4,000 passing yards and threw 23 touchdowns to lead the Texans to an AFC South title and a playoff victory, becoming the first quarterback selected with a top-five NFL Draft pick in over a decade to win a postseason game as a rookie.
In his first stint with the Chargers from 2021-22, Day coordinated the passing attack and coached quarterbacks, helping Los Angeles to a postseason appearance in his second season with the team. He coached Justin Herbert turn in a pair of record-setting seasons for the Bolts, setting all-time franchise marks in passing yards (5,014) passing touchdowns (38) and games with 300-plus passing yards (nine) in 2021 and completions (477) and passing attempts (699) the following season. Herbert was named a Pro Bowler following the 2021 season, starting at quarterback for the AFC, and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week three times that year. He 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 2021, 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.
Day coordinated a passing attack that ranked No. 3 in the NFL from 2021-22 (276.0 net passing yards per game). The unit that finished 2022 as the third-best passing offense in football (269.6) and tied for second in 2021 (282.4). The Los Angeles offense led the NFL in 2021 with 22 fourth-down conversions and seven two-point conversions, while also ranking No. 4 in total offense (390.2 total net yards per game). That season, the unit set single-season team records for first downs (401), passing touchdowns (38) and fewest fumbles (10). The Bolts offense also scored 181 fourth-quarter points in 2021, good for the second-most in a season in NFL history.
With Day's influence on the offense, running back Austin Ekeler led the NFL with 38 touchdowns from 2021-22, while his 13 receiving scores led all running backs. In 2021, Ekeler hauled in eight touchdown catches, joining all of Famer Marshall Faulk (2000 and '01) as the only running backs in the common draft era (since 1967) to post multiple seasons with eight or more receiving touchdowns. Day also coordinated a passing attack that saw the team's single-season receptions record set each year — wide receiver Keenan Allen has 106 catches in 2021, while Ekeler had 107 receptions in 2022. Meanwhile, in 2021, wide receiver Mike Williams registered five go-ahead touchdowns in the fourth quarter or overtime, the most by any player in a single season in NFL history.
Prior to joining the Chargers, Day spent two seasons (2019-20) directing the quarterbacks for the San Francisco 49ers. Over those two years, three different 49ers quarterbacks recorded starts. In 2019, Day coached Jimmy Garoppolo to be named Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year after finishing top-five in the NFL among qualified passers in both touchdown passes (27) and completion percentage (69.1). Garoppolo led San Francisco that season to win the NFC West with a 13-3 record and represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIV. Garoppolo's 102.0 passer rating in 2019 was the best in a season by a 49ers quarterback in over 20 seasons (Hall of Famer Steve Young, 104.7 rating in 1997).
Day returned to the Bay Area after working with the Miami Dolphins for three seasons (2016-18), coaching the team's tight end group. In his first season in South Florida, the team posted 10 wins, winning nine of the team's final 11 games. After losing Pro Bowler Jordan Cameron in Week 3, Day coached Dion Sims to finish the 2016 season with a career-high four touchdown catches. In 2018, Day was tasked with helping transition second-round pick Mike Gesicki to the NFL.
Before his time with the Dolphins, Day was an assistant offensive line coach in Washington. He coached there two seasons (2014-15) under then-offensive coordinator Sean McVay. Day helped coach tackle Trent Williams to a pair of Pro Bowl nods and a second-team AP All-Pro selection following the 2015 season. During his tenure with Washington, Day worked with an offensive front that protected quarterback Kirk Cousins, who led the NFL in 2015 with a 69.8 completion percentage.
Day was a two-sport athlete as an undergraduate at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn., playing football and baseball. A letter-winning wide receiver on the football team, Day began as a middle infielder for the Lynx baseball team before finding a contributing role as an outfielder. Day later earned a degree in English from his hometown institution, Kansas State University, in 1999.
After his playing career, Day entered the coaching ranks at the high school level. He worked as a salesman at Sears and as a high school laboratory associate, while doubling as a high school football coach. Day first worked with the wide receivers at Auburn (Wash.) Riverside High in 2001 before coaching quarterbacks and eventually earning the offensive coordinator position.
Day spent the 2006 season as an offensive quality control coach at the University of Michigan, helping tutor eventual NFL quarterback Chad Henne. Day then broke into the NFL, serving in the same capacity for three seasons (2007-09) with San Francisco. In his first stint with the 49ers, Day mainly helped the running backs group in 2007 before focusing on the offensive line for the next two years.
After his time in the Bay Area, Day coached quarterbacks for the Chicago Bears for two seasons (2010-11). His first season saw quarterback Jay Cutler lead the Bears to win the NFC North with an 11-5 record and advance to the NFC Championship. In 25 starts at quarterback under Day, Cutler led the Bears to a 17-8 record in the regular season. Cutler's .680 winning percentage as the starter was the third-best in the conference over that span among quarterbacks with at least 20 starts.
Day left the Windy City to return to the college ranks, coaching quarterbacks from 2012-13 at the University of Connecticut for two seasons. After the team started 0-9 in 2013, Day took over offensive play-calling duties, leading the Huskies to average 33.7 points per game and a 3-0 record in the final three games of the season.
