Los Angeles Chargers fire Anthony Lynn after four seasons as coach



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Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn was fired after four seasons as head coach.

Lynn signed a one-year extension in the offseason, but the Chargers are 7-9 this season, losing seven games by one score.

He made a brave effort at the end of the season, as the Chargers have won their last four games. But that wasn’t enough for owner Dean Spanos, who made the announcement on Monday.

“This morning I informed Anthony Lynn that we have made the decision to part ways with him as head coach. I’m not sure there is another person in this league more respected as a ‘human being than Anthony, and I would like to sincerely express my deepest gratitude for his leadership during a time of great change for our organization, ”Spanos said in a statement.

“As we all know, this is a results-driven company and, put simply, the results of the past two years have fallen short of expectations. Going forward, we will redouble our efforts to build and maintain a championship-caliber program. We have innovated in many facets of our organization in recent years, and we need to apply that to all of our operations. Our fans should know that the Los Angeles Chargers are determined to consistent and winning football. The search for a new head coach will begin immediately. “

Lynn ends his four-year stint with the Chargers with a 33-31 regular season record and a 1-1 playoff mark. Lynn led the Chargers to a 12-4 record and a playoff victory in 2018, but he was unable to maintain that success, going 5-11 in 2019 and struggling again in 2020.

This season started with a punctured lung for quarterback Tyrod Taylor, who received a pain reliever injection at SoFi Stadium that went badly in Week 2, just minutes before a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In stage rookie first-round pick Justin Herbert, who became a superstar almost immediately, starting 15 games and throwing for 4,336 yards and an NFL rookie record 31 touchdown passes. He also set the NFL rookie record for completions with 396.

“It’s a tough situation, I believed in Coach Lynn, I enjoyed our time working together. I believe in this locker room and I believe we will be better,” Herbert said on Monday.

Herbert said that Lynn “empowered me to be a leader, taught me a lot about how to run a clique, how to step in and take command.

“Before each game, I gave him a hug (and) he said, ‘go have fun, go compete’. I learned a lot from him, I will truly miss him. “

Herbert could have saved Lynn’s job had he gotten a few more W’s earlier in the season, rather than getting close. But it was Lynn’s own decisions that drew heavy criticism. His clock and his handling of the game have been called into question many times, including during Herbert’s debut, an overtime loss to the defending Super Bowl champions.

In OT’s first possession, Lynn chose to clear rather than go into fourth and short. Kansas City drove for 39 yards for a 52-yard goal to win the game 23-20.

This set the tone for the season with the team unable to complete games. It was also an issue in 2019, when nine of the Chargers’ 11 losses were one scoring.

Special teams have also been a disaster, with the Chargers placing last in the league in the category, according to the REIT. The team missed 12 shots on goal, including three extra runs and nine field goals, blocked three punts (two returned for touchdowns) and returned a blocked basket for a touchdown. The net punting loader average is the worst in the NFL.

Lynn reassigned Special Teams Coordinator George Stewart on November 25, with Keith Burns taking over. But that made no difference, as the Chargers missed the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 seasons.

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