Brandon Staley

American football player and coach (born 1982)

American football player

Brandon StaleyNew Orleans Saints

Position:| Defensive coordinator
Personal information
Born:|  (1982-12-10) December 10, 1982 (age 42)
Perry, Ohio, U.S.
Career information
High school:| Perry
College:|

* Dayton (2003–2004)
* Mercyhurst (2005)

Career history

As a coach:

* Northern Illinois (2006–2008)
Graduate assistant
* St. Thomas (MN) (2009)
Defensive line coach & special teams coach
* Hutchinson (2010–2011)
Associate head coach & defensive coordinator
* Tennessee (2012)
Graduate assistant
* John Carroll (2013)
Defensive coordinator & secondary coach
* James Madison (2014)
Defensive coordinator & linebackers coach
* John Carroll (2015–2016)
Defensive coordinator & secondary coach
* Chattanooga (2017)
Defensive coordinator
* Chicago Bears (2017–2018)
Outside linebackers coach
* Denver Broncos (2019)
Outside linebackers coach
* Los Angeles Rams (2020)
Defensive coordinator
* Los Angeles Chargers (2021–2023)
Head coach
* San Francisco 49ers (2024)
Assistant head coach
* New Orleans Saints (2025–present)
Defensive coordinator

Head coaching record
Regular season:| 24–24 (.500)
Postseason:| 0–1 (.000)
Career:| 24–25 (.490)
Coaching profile at Pro Football Reference

Brandon John Staley (born December 10, 1982) is an American professional football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2023, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, an assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Bears.

## Early life and college

[edit]

Staley was born on December 10, 1982, in Perry, Ohio. He attended the University of Dayton and started two years at quarterback for the Flyers from 2003 to 2004, guiding the team to a 16–5 record. He finished his playing career at Mercyhurst College, playing on the football team in 2005.[1]

## Coaching career

[edit]

### College

[edit]

Brandon began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Northern Illinois from 2006 to 2008 before working with defensive linemen and special teams at Division III St. Thomas (Minnesota) in 2009.

In 2010 and 2011, Staley served as the associate head coach and defensive coordinator at Hutchinson Community College (Kansas). He spent the 2012 season at Tennessee as a graduate assistant. Staley then spent three seasons (2013, 2015, 2016) as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach with John Carroll University (Ohio).[2] Staley spent 2014 as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at James Madison University (Virginia).[3] Staley was announced as the Defensive Coordinator of the Chattanooga Mocs (Tennessee) in January of 2017, but would step away from this role within the same month to pursue NFL opportunities.[4]

### Chicago Bears

[edit]

In 2017, Staley was hired by the Chicago Bears as their outside linebackers coach.[5]

### Denver Broncos

[edit]

On January 15, 2019, Staley was hired by the Denver Broncos as their outside linebackers coach, reuniting with then-head coach Vic Fangio.[6]

### Los Angeles Rams

[edit]

On January 16, 2020, Staley was hired by the Los Angeles Rams as their defensive coordinator, replacing Wade Phillips.[7][8] In his lone year as defensive coordinator, Staley helped guide the Rams defense to first in points and total yards allowed, positioning himself as an attractive head coaching candidate around the league.[9]

### Los Angeles Chargers

[edit]

On January 17, 2021, Staley was hired as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers,[10] replacing Anthony Lynn.

On September 12, 2021, Staley made his head coaching debut against the Washington Football Team and led the Chargers to a 20–16 road victory.[11] Staley led the Chargers to a 9–7 record through the first 16 games of the 2021 season. However, against the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 18 in a win or tie or go home situation, Staley came under scrutiny for two decisions during the game. The first involved a failed fourth down conversion on the Chargers' own 18-yard line, giving the Raiders a short field, which they would score on to extend their lead to six. The second was calling a timeout with 38 seconds left in the overtime period with the Raiders at the Chargers' 39-yard line. Staley claimed that he called the timeout to get the right defensive personnel on the field as the Raiders were running the ball.[12] Following the game, there was conjecture that the timeout proved to be costly for the Chargers as the Raiders kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired, winning 35–32, and eliminating the Chargers from playoff contention.[13][14] However, when discussing the moment on a podcast, Raiders' interim head coach at that time Rich Bisaccia stated that "the timeout was really irrelevant".[15]

In the 2022 season, Staley led the Chargers to a 10–7 record, finishing in second place in the AFC West. The Chargers finished as the #5-seed in the AFC and played the #4-seed 9–8 Jacksonville Jaguars on January 14, 2023, in the AFC Wild Card round. The Chargers roared out to a 27–0 second quarter lead, but the Jaguars came back to win the game 31–30 with a field goal as time expired. It was the third-largest comeback in NFL playoff history.[16]

After a 5–9 start to the 2023 season and losing 63–21 to the Raiders on Thursday Night Football in Week 15,[17] Staley was fired on December 15, 2023.[18] The Chargers-Raiders game set a Chargers franchise record for most points allowed in a single game, along with a Raiders franchise record for most points scored in a single game (doing so just four days after playing in one of the lowest-scoring NFL games in league history, in a 3–0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings).[19]

### San Francisco 49ers

[edit]

On March 2, 2024, Staley was hired by the San Francisco 49ers.[20] His role as assistant head-coach was revealed on May 22.[21]

### New Orleans Saints

[edit]

On February 21, 2025, Staley was hired by the New Orleans Saints as their new defensive coordinator under head coach Kellen Moore, whom Staley worked with when he was head coach of the Chargers.[22]

## Head coaching record

[edit]

Team | Year | Regular season | Postseason

|
|
|

Won | Lost | Ties | Win % | Finish | Won | Lost | Win % | Result
LAC | 2021 | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3rd in AFC West | — | — | — | —
LAC | 2022 | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 2nd in AFC West | 0 | 1 | .000 | Lost to Jacksonville Jaguars in AFC Wild Card Game
LAC | 2023 | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | Fired | — | — | — | —
Total | 24 | 24 | 0 | .500 |  | 0 | 1 | .000 |

## Personal life

[edit]

Staley was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in 2006 and is considered cancer-free after undergoing chemotherapy.[23] He married Amy Ward in 2011.[24] They have three children.[25]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "5 Things to Know: Brandon Staley". Los Angeles Chargers. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
2. ^ "Brandon Staley – Football Coach". John Carroll University Athletics. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
3. ^ "Brandon Staley – Football Coach". James Madison University Athletics. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
4. ^ "New Mocs DC Earns National Honor". University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Athletics. January 5, 2017. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
5. ^ "Broncos hire Bears OLB coach Brandon Staley". Denver Broncos. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
6. ^ "Bears OLB coach Staley follows Fangio to Broncos". NBC Sports Chicago. January 15, 2019. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
7. ^ "Sean McVay makes bold bet on unproven defensive coordinator Brandon Staley". ESPN.com. January 14, 2020. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
8. ^ Hammond, Rich. "Insight into new Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley from the coach who hired him three times". The Athletic. Retrieved May 12, 2020.
9. ^ "2020 Los Angeles Rams Statistics and Players". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
10. ^ Communications, Chargers (January 17, 2021). "Chargers Agree to Terms with Brandon Staley as Head Coach". chargers.com. Retrieved January 17, 2021.
11. ^ "Los Angeles Chargers at Washington Football Team - September 12th, 2021". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved September 21, 2021.
12. ^ Smith, Michael David (January 10, 2022). "Brandon Staley says overtime timeout was to get the right personnel on the field". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
13. ^ "Raiders vs. Chargers score: Derek Carr edges Justin Herbert in OT thriller; Vegas claims postseason spot". CBSSports.com. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
14. ^ Selbe, Nick. "Derek Carr Says Chargers' OT Timeout 'Definitely' Changed Raiders' Mindset". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
15. ^ Pardon My Take.
16. ^ DiRocco, Michael; Thiry, Lindsey (January 14, 2023). "Chargers blow 27-point lead, Jaguars advance in AFC playoffs". ESPN. Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
17. ^ "Four days after losing 3–0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63–21". ESPN.com. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
18. ^ Gordon, Grant. "Chargers fire head coach Brandon Staley, general manager Tom Telesco following blowout loss to Raiders". NFL.com. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
19. ^ "Four days after losing 3–0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63–21". AP News. December 15, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
20. ^ Luis Sanchez III, Jose (March 2, 2024). "49ers hire Brandon Staley". si.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
21. ^ Wagoner, Nick (May 22, 2024). "Brandon Staley's role at 49ers revealed as assistant head-coach". espn.com. Retrieved December 2, 2024.
22. ^ Gordon, Grant (February 21, 2025). "Saints hiring ex-Chargers head coach Brandon Staley as new defensive coordinator". NFL.com. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
23. ^ Podolski, Mark (November 8, 2016). "Cancer survivor, John Carroll defensive coordinator Brandon Staley inspires his players". news-herald.com. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
24. ^ "Ward-Staley engagement". The News-Herald. Willoughby, Ohio. June 19, 2011. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
25. ^ "Los Angeles Chargers". www.chargers.com. Retrieved September 27, 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* New Orleans Saints profile

* v
* t
* e

NFL defensive coordinators

American Football Conference

| AFC East| AFC North| AFC South| AFC West

|
|
|

* Bobby Babich (Buffalo Bills)
* Anthony Weaver (Miami Dolphins)
* Terrell Williams (New England Patriots)
* Steve Wilks (New York Jets)

* Zach Orr (Baltimore Ravens)
* Al Golden (Cincinnati Bengals)
* Jim Schwartz (Cleveland Browns)
* Teryl Austin (Pittsburgh Steelers)

* Matt Burke (Houston Texans)
* Lou Anarumo (Indianapolis Colts)
* Anthony Campanile (Jacksonville Jaguars)
* Dennard Wilson (Tennessee Titans)

* Vance Joseph (Denver Broncos)
* Steve Spagnuolo (Kansas City Chiefs)
* Patrick Graham (Las Vegas Raiders)
* Jesse Minter (Los Angeles Chargers)

National Football Conference

| NFC East| NFC North| NFC South| NFC West

|
|
|

* Matt Eberflus (Dallas Cowboys)
* Shane Bowen (New York Giants)
* Vic Fangio (Philadelphia Eagles)
* Joe Whitt Jr. (Washington Commanders)

* Dennis Allen (Chicago Bears)
* Kelvin Sheppard (Detroit Lions)
* Jeff Hafley (Green Bay Packers)
* Brian Flores (Minnesota Vikings)

* Jeff Ulbrich (Atlanta Falcons)
* Ejiro Evero (Carolina Panthers)
* Brandon Staley (New Orleans Saints)
* Todd Bowles* (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)

* Nick Rallis (Arizona Cardinals)
* Chris Shula (Los Angeles Rams)
* Robert Saleh (San Francisco 49ers)
* Aden Durde (Seattle Seahawks)

* De facto

* v
* t
* e

Los Angeles Chargers head coaches

Formerly the San Diego Chargers (1961–2016)

* Sid Gillman (1960–1969)
* Charlie Waller (1969–1970)
* Sid Gillman (1971)
* Harland Svare (1971–1973)
* Ron Waller # (1973)
* Tommy Prothro (1974–1978)
* Don Coryell (1978–1986)
* Al Saunders (1986–1988)
* Dan Henning (1989–1991)
* Bobby Ross (1992–1996)
* Kevin Gilbride (1997–1998)
* June Jones # (1998)
* Mike Riley (1999–2001)
* Marty Schottenheimer (2002–2006)
* Norv Turner (2007–2012)
* Mike McCoy (2013–2016)
* Anthony Lynn (2017–2020)
* Brandon Staley (2021–2023)
* Giff Smith # (2023)
* Jim Harbaugh (2024–present)

# denotes interim head coach
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