Former NFL HC Roasts Brandon Staley as "D III Coach," Praises Chargers' Jim Harbaugh

Ricardo Sandoval | Sep 10, 2024

Dec 3, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley watches a play against the New England Patriots during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images / Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers came away in Week 1 on top. The Chargers took care of business against their division rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, in the first game of many in the Jim Harbaugh era. 

The Chargers entered the 2024 season with a determination to prove themselves after a disastrous 2023 season. Recognizing the need for significant changes, the Spanos family wasted no time in bringing in Harbaugh and a competent coaching staff, instilling hope for a better season. 

Despite the dark days L.A. has seen, the Chargers have made significant progress. While it was just one game, it seems those days are behind them. The Chargers are not yet a Super Bowl team, but they are no longer the pushover they once were, giving fans reason to be optimistic. 

The Chargers had it bad last season, and that was no more evident with the comments made by former NFL head coach Rex Ryan. Ryan appeared on ESPN's Get Up on Monday and took a shot at former Chargers head coach Brandon Staley while praising Harbaugh for their first win of the season. 

"They threw out a guy that's a Division III coach, now they can play defense."

Rex Ryan with a stray shot at Brandon Staley as he praises Jim Harbaugh's first win with the Chargers:

"They threw out a guy that's a Division III coach, now they can play defense." pic.twitter.com/6QOhP6kHKN

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 9, 2024

The D-3 division coach Ryan is referring to is Staley. 

Last season in November, Ryan didn't mince any words when he said that Staley should go back into coaching division three football, where he belongs. Ironically, he said it on the same show. 

Last season, Staley led the Chargers to a horrid season, so much so that he didn't get to finish the season in L.A. After the team's disastrous outing in Las Vegas in Week 15 of the 2023 season, the Chargers decided to part ways with Staley and former general manager Tom Telesco. 

The Chargers of Week 1 in 2024 were night and day compared to Week 15 of 2023. L.A. won on the backs of its defense, the run game, and coaching. Those are the three things that the Chargers were putrid at, and it seems like those will be the things they are great at in 2024. 

Harbaugh set the tone in training camp with his players, and he did the same thing in Week 1 to the Raiders and the rest of the football world. The Chargers are here to play, and the days of Staley and worrying about the defense seem to be long gone.

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