Darren Sproles rips Chargers HC: ‘It’s time for a new coach’
LOS ANGELES (BVM) – Brandon Staley has been under fire since the Los Angeles Chargers missed the playoffs in 2021 and that sentiment was only amplified when his team blew a 27-point lead and lost in the AFC wild-card round last season.
The third-year head coach has a 19-15 regular-season record but he also has a new skeptic, someone who is near and dear to the hearts of Chargers fans.
Darren Sproles – who is a member of the Chargers’ 50th Anniversary Team after spending his first six NFL seasons with the franchise – made a recent appearance on FanDuel TV’s Up & Adams and made his feelings about the Chargers head coach very clear.
“I think it’s time for a new coach, I’m sorry,” Sproles said.
When asked by Kay Adams if he thinks that Staley is the one who’s holding the Chargers back, Sproles said, “I do.”
There was uncertainty at season’s end as to whether Staley would return but both he and general manager Tom Telesco will be back in 2023. The offense should have a new look with former Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore taking over for Joe Lombardi who served in that role for the last two seasons.
However, that doesn’t seem to matter to Sproles who is skeptical of Staley’s play-calling.
“Sometimes like with him (Staley), the way he be calling plays sometimes, it’s like he’s playing Madden or something like that,” Sproles said.
Sproles could either be alluding to the Chargers’ propensity to go for it on fourth down (they had the sixth-most fourth-down attempts in 2022) or Staley’s ability (or lack thereof) as a defensive play caller.
Before taking over as the Chargers’ head coach in 2021, Staley replaced Wade Phillips as the Rams’ defensive coordinator. During his only season (2020) in the role, the Rams were first in points and total yards allowed, making Staley an attractive head coaching candidate.
Last season, however, the Chargers were 22nd in points allowed and 20th in total yards allowed before being on the wrong end of the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history.
Luckily for Staley, he has a superstar quarterback in Justin Herbert who Sproles is a believer in.
“Now I’ll tell you something, Justin Herbert, he’s a great player,” Sproles said.
Having Herbert helps but if the Chargers don’t return to the postseason and have a much better showing, Sproles might be right that it’s time for a new coach.
Staley and the Chargers begin their 2023 campaign at home against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, Sept. 10.
