Los Angeles Chargers hire Rams' Brandon Staley as next head coach

Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Chargers have agreed to terms with Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to be their next head coach, the team announced Sunday night.

The team said Staley will be formally introduced at a news conference Thursday.

"It doesn't matter if you've known Brandon for five minutes or five years, what quickly becomes apparent is the amount of energy and passion he approaches each and every moment with," Chargers president of football operations John Spanos said in a statement. "The consistency of that enthusiasm is unique and, most importantly, it drives his ability to connect with people.

"His coaching journey to this particular moment is inspiring; if not for the sheer perseverance and determination of it all, then certainly for the dramatic results it has produced for the teams and players he has coached. I know it's cliché but I know Brandon quite literally cannot wait to get to work. I also know we cannot be more excited to have him as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers."

Staley served as the Rams' defensive coordinator this season, with his unit propelling the Rams to a 10-6 season and wild-card win over the Seattle Seahawks. In his first year as a coordinator at the NFL level, his defense ranked No. 1 in efficiency, yards allowed per game and points allowed per game.

The 38-year-old Staley replaces former Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn, who was fired earlier this month after four seasons and a 33-31 record.

"It's hard to put into words just how excited I am for the opportunity to be the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach," Staley said. "While this is certainly a dream come true, it's also a dream that's just the beginning.

"There's a reason this was probably the most sought after job out there -- from ownership, to the fans, to the city, to the men in that locker room -- it's the total package."

Prior to joining the Rams for the 2020 season, Staley was an outside linebackers coach with the Chicago Bears (2017-18) and Denver Broncos (2019). Before that, he coached for three seasons at John Carroll University -- a Division III college in Ohio -- and spent one season at James Madison University as a defensive coordinator.

The Chargers finished with a 7-9 record that resulted in a third-place finish in the AFC West this season.