Last season the Los Angeles Chargers finished with a lowly 5-12 record. Now, after a blowout win over the New England Patriots, the Chargers are headed to the playoffs.
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But how could an organization make the shift from being a losing team to a playoff team in only a matter of months?
An organization that struggled to acquire both talent and popularity in the city of Los Angeles quickly changed direction when it cleaned house toward the end of the 2023 season as both head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired.
In January, the Chargers made the franchise-altering decision to hire the legendary Jim Harbaugh as the team’s next head coach.
“Jim Harbaugh is football personified, and I can think of no one better to lead the Chargers forward,” owner Dean Spanos said in the statement.
During his introductory press conference, Harbaugh used a Harbaughism to describe the new mindset of the franchise.
“This organization is putting in the work,” Harbaugh said in a team statement announcing the blockbuster move. “Investing capital, building infrastructure,e and doing everything within its power to win. Great effort equals great results, and we’re just getting started.”
Harbaugh’s efforts to drastically improve the Chargers wasn’t his first rodeo with a struggling team in the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers had Harbaugh as the team’s head coach from 2011-2014, including one Super Bowl appearance. Harbaugh’s impact didn’t stop in the NFL, he most recently led Michigan to its first undefeated season and a National Championship.
Even after a convincing 40-7 triumph over the Patriots, Harbaugh remains adamant that his influence within the Chargers organization had little to do with the turnaround season.
“This had very little to do with me,” Harbaugh said. “If it goes right, it’s been our players…I’ve been drinking the kool-aid from day one. As a coach, there’s no coach that could have it better than coaching these players.”
The Chargers last made the playoffs in 2022 but made a first-round exit. Now in 2024, the team is preparing to make a deep playoff run with Harbaugh at the helm. The Chargers are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoff picture. If the team remains the No. 6 seed, the Chargers will play the No. 3 seed, which is currently the Baltimore Ravens.
However, the Chargers can also earn the No. 5 seed if they win in Week 18 and the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Bengals.
Regardless of where they land, the Chargers are back in the playoffs with Harbaugh at the helm.
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