Report: 1 AFC coach expected to be fired ‘barring a miracle’

Feb 1, 2022; Inglewood, CA, USA; The NFL shield logo is seen at midfield at SoFi Stadium. Super Bowl LVI between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals will be played on Feb. 13, 2022. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

NFL head coaches who are on the hot seat have only a handful of games remaining to prove they deserve another chance in 2024, but it sounds like one AFC coach should already have his bags packed.

Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz reported on Tuesday that the Los Angeles Chargers plan to fire Brandon Staley “barring a miracle down the stretch.” Dianna Russini of The Athletic said during a Wednesday appearance on FS1’s “The Herd” with Colin Cowherd that she has heard the same.

“I know there’s a report right now that (the Chargers are going to) clear house, and that’s the sense around the league — that Brandon Staley will be done at the end of the year, pretty much no matter what happens here over the next few weeks,” Russini said.

Staley is in his third season with the Chargers. Many thought he would be fired following the team’s historic collapse against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs last year. The Chargers stuck with Staley, and they now have a 4-7 team heading into Week 13.

Chargers owner Dean Spanos is known for his unwillingness to spend big on coaches, which is one reason Staley still has his job. It will be even more difficult to justify keeping Staley for another season if L.A. misses the playoffs, but nothing should be ruled out with the current ownership group.