Brandon Staley struggled mightily during his first and only stint as an NFL head coach. Despite posting a .500 record, Staley had several rough moments, particularly in career-defining spots. Recently, Staley revealed the most humiliating moment of his tenure, which ultimately led to his firing.
Brandon Staley Gets Honest About Getting Fired by Chargers
In Staley’s second season with the Chargers, he led the team to a 10-7 record and a postseason berth. However, they blew a 27-0 lead in the Wild Card round to Jacksonville, eventually losing 31-30.
A year earlier, during Staley’s first season as a head coach, the Chargers’ season came down to the final seconds of overtime in Week 18 against the Raiders. Either a win or a tie would send Los Angeles back to the postseason.
Las Vegas, in the same situation, appeared willing to settle for a tie, but Staley overcoached the situation, compelling the Raiders to go for the win. Daniel Carlson drilled a 47-yard game-winning field goal to send Staley and the Chargers home.
Still, the former Chargers HC believes a different moment was truly the most humiliating of his career, once again coming against the AFC West rival Raiders, in 2023.
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“It’s very difficult to explain to people when you do lose a dream in front of the whole world,” Staley said in an interview with The Athletic.
“We lost on Thursday night, the only game playing,” Staley continued, referring to a 63-21 primetime loss to their divisional rival, the Las Vegas Raiders, which dropped the Chargers to 5-9 on the season.
“And the next day, it’s over. And everyone is laughing at you. Everybody. Competition brings humility out of you. Part of living your dream is knowing you have to fight really hard for it. What’s hard for everyone to understand is that living your dream comes with moments like that.”
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In 2025, Staley was hired as the New Orleans Saints’ defensive coordinator, where he has done a solid job rebuilding his reputation. New Orleans’ defense posted a 78.6 Impact Score, ranking 10th among all units, according to PFN’s Defense Impact Rankings.
Staley remained with the Saints this offseason, and according to reports from training camp, the defense has taken yet another step, often dominating the offense in practice.
If the Saints’ defense meets expectations, and then some, in 2026, Staley could receive coaching interviews next offseason. In the meantime, his focus will remain on New Orleans and helping the team win a division title in the NFC South.
