Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers: Stability or Stubbornness?
Jim Harbaugh’s first season as the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach was, by most measures, a success. He led the team to 11 wins, secured a playoff appearance, and turned the defense into an elite unit. However, one key decision is coming under scrutiny, his choice at offensive coordinator. Harbaugh opted not to retain Kellen Moore, who quickly landed with the Philadelphia Eagles and helped guide their offense to a Super Bowl. Instead, he brought in Greg Roman, a longtime colleague from his days with the San Francisco 49ers. The results were underwhelming, as the Chargers' offense ranked just 20th in the NFL in 2024 and struggled in the Wild Card Round, managing only 12 points in a blowout loss to the Houston Texans.
Jason Reed of Bolt Beat didn’t hold back in criticizing Harbaugh’s decision, arguing that the Chargers had the opportunity to block Moore from leaving but chose not to. He pointed out that the Chargers' offense had performed well under Moore when healthy in 2023 and suggested that a second year of continuity with him could have been beneficial for Justin Herbert. "In a perfect world, Harbaugh would have seen that nuance and given Moore one more year to provide play-calling consistency for his star quarterback," Reed wrote. "Moore would not have solved all of the personnel issues, but he could have squeezed more out of the Chargers' offense than Roman did."
Despite the criticism, Harbaugh made it clear in his end-of-season press conference that he does not plan to make staff changes, signaling his confidence in Roman. His primary reason? Stability. Herbert has already had four different offensive coordinators in five seasons, and Harbaugh appears committed to breaking that cycle. Still, questions remain. Roman’s offensive schemes failed to adjust against Houston, raising concerns about his adaptability. While Harbaugh believes in coaching up his staff, Chargers fans have reason to wonder if Roman’s system will truly maximize Herbert’s talent.
On the other side of the ball, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter—who orchestrated the league’s number one scoring defense—did not receive any head coaching interview requests or assistant coach of the year honors and is expected to return. This in fact is excellent news for a unit that thrived under his leadership. Harbaugh is betting on continuity heading into 2025, believing that his coaching staff, with more resources this offseason, can refine its approach and take the team further. Whether this gamble pays off—or whether passing on Moore proves to be a costly misstep or it will be one of the biggest storylines for the Chargers moving forward.
