Sep 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley at press conference during practice at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Sep 27, 2023; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley at press conference during practice at the Hoag Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
By Ben Axelrod on

While calling for head coaches to be fired has been a longtime sports talk trope, it’s not often that the media finds itself in near-universal agreement in encouraging a dismissal.

But following the Los Angeles Chargers’ 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday Night Football, that’s exactly what happened, with the consensus opinion being that the Chargers should fire Brandon Staley.

Just after 12 p.m. ET on Friday, those calling for Staley’s job got their wish, with the Chargers announcing that they have fired the third-year head coach — as well as general manager Tom Telesco. With that, it appears the NFL media will need to find a new punching bag, as Staley had become a popular target for both his on-field errors and postgame press conferences.

Between established head coaches who have worn out their welcome, coaches who aren’t comfortable speaking in front of the media and even the greatest head coach of all-time, there are plenty of candidates to choose from. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of each that could succeed Staley.

Bill Belichick

Pros: While nobody thought New England would be a Super Bowl contender this season, the Patriots’ 3-10 record has been nothing short of disappointing. And considering he’s not only the head coach, but also in charge of picking the players, Belichick deserves a big part of the blame.

Not only that, but the six-time Super Bowl-winning head coach is largely considered at fault for Tom Brady’s departure nearly four years ago. And with Brady winning a Super Bowl with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers the very next year, it’s easy to see who got the best of that breakup.

Cons: He has six Super Bowl rings and is arguably the greatest head coach of all-time. Also, his gruffness with the media has somehow become endearing.

Matt Eberflus

Pros: Over the course of his first two seasons with the Chicago Bears, Eberflus has amassed an 8-22 record, including a 5-8 mark this year. Any improvement that Justin Fields has made as a quarterback has seemingly been minimal and there were multiple points this season in which it appeared the Bears were going to make a coaching change.

Cons: Following an 0-4 and 2-7 start to the season, Chicago has won three of its last four — largely behind the play of its defense, which is Eberflus’ specialty. He also seems like a nice enough man.

Jonathan Gannon

Pros: The Cardinals’ first-year head coach is so awkward in front of the cameras that even his own team’s production crew couldn’t make him look cool.

Also, the rebuilding nature of Arizona’s roster means that it will likely be a few years until the former Eagles defensive coordinator can justify his seemingly prickly personality with on-field results.

Cons: At 3-10, the Cardinals might actually be overachieving this season. Considering the state of Arizona’s roster, it’s far too early to make any sort of judgment on Gannon’s ability as a head coach.

Ron Rivera

Pros: In addition to being 26-36-1 in his three-plus seasons in Washington, Rivera hasn’t been the head coach of a team with a winning record since 2017. While there have certainly been plenty of issues with the Commanders organization, there hasn’t been much indication that Rivera is a part of the long-term solution.

Cons: Rivera seems to be well liked by not only his players, but the NFL coaching community. Despite some dustups with the media, he’s well respected by not only the league, but those who cover it.

Arthur Smith

Pros: Smith has yet to amass more than seven wins in a single season since becoming the head coach of the Falcons and this year’s 6-7 mark has been uninspiring. The Falcons’ offense has been fairly lackluster despite that side of the ball being Smith’s specialty and he doesn’t seem to have much respect for the injury report. But he may be one of the favorites on this list solely due to his use of Bijan Robinson.

Cons: Thanks to the state of the NFC South, the Falcons are somehow tied for first place in their division and might be hosting a home playoff game this season. Atlanta has also already committed to keeping him past this season — although that could ultimately work against him as a potential punching bag.

[Los Angeles Chargers on X]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod