Serious Candidates Emerge in San Diego Chargers Coaching Search

As the San Diego Chargers’ search for a new general manager heats up, entertaining the thought of who will then become the team’s head coach is certainly a rousing topic. Many believe that quarterback Philip Rivers will be heavily involved in that process and that is definitely a great place to start if the team wants to revitalize an offense that has fallen on hard times. With Ron Wolf’s involvement as a consultant in the GM search, a few interesting names have surfaced as possibilities.

DOUG MARRONE

Clearly this one is off the table now with the Buffalo Bills hiring the former Syracuse coach, but the Bolts were also thought to be interested. This only further enhances the idea that a new GM needs to be appointed sooner rather than later so the team isn’t left with no one to choose from in terms of a head coach.

BRUCE ARIANS

Now that the Indianapolis Colts are eliminated from the postseason, Arians is free to set up interviews and really become a serious coaching candidate across the league. The headlines prior to his current team’s exit from the playoff were that he had been taken to the hospital and would not be calling the plays as usual in the game, but even though he missed that final game, Arians is said to be just fine and will certainly be a viable candidate in a number of NFL cities.

JIM MORA

After three years with the Atlanta Falcons and a winning record, he was let go there and only got one year with the Seattle Seahawks before a dismissal from that gig. Now Mora is right up the road from the Bolts at UCLA where he enjoyed a successful first season with the Bruins. Even though he enjoyed year one there, don’t be surprised if he gets serious consideration for the Bolts job as his offensive coordinator, Noel Mazzone, worked with Rivers for a year at NC State. Those connections would play a large role in his potential candidacy.

MIKE HOLMGREN

Here is where the Ron Wolf connection comes into play. Wolf was GM with the Green Bay Packers when Holmgren led the team to a Super Bowl in the mid-nineties. While the power structure in San Diego wouldn’t really be in his best interest, Holmgren seemed to have tired quickly of the GM duties during his time with the Cleveland Browns. Perhaps he is a viable candidate to coach a team with a quarterback in need of some direction.

For now, the Bolts plan to name a GM soon and if Tom Telesco, Colts director of player personnel, is really in the lead, perhaps Arians is the favorite to get the coaching gig. Keep your eyes peeled for any new developments, I sure will.

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