After an underwhelming playoff exit, the Los Angeles Chargers have made an official decision to go their separate ways with offensive coordinator Greg Roman. This announcement follows only two days after the Chargers were handed a 16-3 loss by the New England Patriots. Roman’s tenure with the team was marked by high expectations, particularly after a season that initially showcased potential for a dynamic offensive unit.
Roman’s recent success as the offensive coordinator for a revolutionary Baltimore Ravens offense. From 2019 through 2022, he directed the team with a strong vision to achieve unprecedented growth in their performance. Under his direction, the Ravens became a top-three all-time rushing offense in NFL history. Through his creative approaches, he made himself stand out, which ultimately led him to win the AP Assistant of the Year award in 2019.
Even before joining the Chargers, Roman had established a close relationship with Jim Harbaugh, going back more than a decade. He worked as an associate head coach on Harbaugh’s staff at Stanford for two seasons and later collaborated with Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, in Baltimore. Still, with that kind of background, the expectation was evident that he would be able to translate that success to Los Angeles.
The Chargers’ offense started the season looking dangerous, but crumbled in key situations. Roman’s decision-making became a lightning rod for criticism. This was after quarterback Justin Herbert had one of the few down games in his career during the playoff loss to the Patriots. The Chargers only scored one offensive touchdown in two playoff games under his coordination. Such a performance would lead anyone to wonder whether he was really cutting it with his own offensive schemes.
Roman had a harder time customizing his system to suit the strengths of players such as Mekhi Becton. Becton commented on his struggles within Roman’s scheme, stating, “It was a lot of different things I’m not used to.”
After several agonizingly close games, the Chargers determined that something had to give. What stood out most was their decision to change their leadership on the offensive end. The organization’s goal is to improve, to reinvigorate its programming as it gears up toward the new chamber season ahead.
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