Chargers Fire OC Joe Lombardi, Quarterbacks Coach Shane Day Following Playoff Collapse
COSTA MESA – The Chargers' 2022 season came to a crushing end when they blew a 27-point lead to the Jaguars in the Wild Card Round, resulting in a 31-30 loss.
As a result, the Chargers have parted ways with offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day, the club announced Tuesday.
Despite speculation regarding head coach Brandon Staley's job security based upon how the Chargers' season came to a close, indications are he will return for the 2023 season.
Instead, Lombardi and Day are the staff members who take the fall as the team shakes up things offensively.
Staley and general manager Tom Telesco are scheduled to meet with the media on Wednesday and Thursday of this week at 11 a.m. PT.
Lombardi and Day have been with the club for the past two seasons. In 2021, the offense produced encouraging results, finishing top 5 across many statistical categories. But in year two, the production was far underwhelming in a season the organization was looking to get the most out of quarterback Justin Herbert and his window of playing on a rookie contract.
Surely, the injuries to the offense didn’t do the coaching staff any favors. Herbert played two months with a fractured rib cartilage, Keenan Allen and Mike Williams missed extended time, Corey Linsley and Trey Pipkins were in and out of the lineup, and Rashawn Slater missed most of the year. But nonetheless, the expectations even when key players returned from injuries, were not met.
The Chargers offense accounted for three points in the second half of the Wild Card Round loss to the Jaguars, and they couldn’t eat time off the clock accordingly with an inability to run the ball effectively.
The Chargers averaged 359.3 yards per game, ninth-best in the NFL, and 23 points per game, finishing 13th in the league.
As the team begins their search for a new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, it looks to be one of the more enticing non-head coaching jobs on the market with the opportunity to coach Herbert, one of the game's premier passers.
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Read more from Charger Report:
- 'We Believe': Chargers Players Back Brandon Staley to Return as Head Coach for 2023 Season
- Takeaways From Chargers' 31-30 Wild Card Round Loss vs. Jaguars
- Chargers Collapse in Wild Card Round vs. Jaguars, Blow 27-Point Lead
- Live In-Game Updates: Chargers at Jaguars Wild Card Round
- Pregame Report: Chargers at Jaguars
Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.
