3 Chargers Replacements Emerge as Jim Harbaugh's Seat Heats Up

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-7.

Jim Harbaugh is on the hottest seat in the NFL.

Two years ago, Harbaugh signed a five-year, $80 million contract after leading the Chargers to an 11-6 record and a playoff berth.

He did it again the next season: another 11-6 mark, another postseason appearance.

This season, the wheels have come off completely.

The offense, coordinated by Mike McDaniel, looks broken.

Quarterback Justin Herbert is having the worst season of his career.

Through seven games, Herbert has thrown for 1,398 yards with five touchdowns and a league-high ten interceptions.

He has not thrown a touchdown pass in either of the last two games.

In a 24-9 loss to the Rams, Herbert completed 24 of 32 passes for 257 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

One of those picks was returned 46 yards by Rams safety Quentin Lake.

Lake appeared on the St. Brown Podcast after the game and did not hold back.

“He was throwing deli meat out there,” Lake said.

“He’s seeing ghosts.”

When asked about those comments, Harbaugh defended his quarterback.

“As far as anybody’s opinion I don’t see that,” Harbaugh told reporters.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. Not what I see.”

Harbaugh said he thought Herbert “did his job exceptionally well” and that there were only “two throws he would have liked to have back.”

Herbert said he had not heard Lake’s remarks.

“I haven’t looked into it, haven’t heard anything about it, so I can’t really make a comment about it,” Herbert said.

“We’re really just focused on what’s going on in the building, playing football and doing what we can and doing our best to, you know, go put our best effort out on Sunday.”

The disconnect between what the defense sees and what the coaching staff says is growing.

Harbaugh still has two years left on his contract.

But if the locker room has quit, the Chargers may have no choice but to move on.

Harbaugh’s last NFL stint ended abruptly after an 8-8 season with the San Francisco 49ers.

That came after three years that included two NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl.

If the Chargers do make a change, three candidates have emerged as the leading replacements.

MIKE TOMLIN

Tomlin is not coaching this season after his long run with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

He won a Super Bowl in Pittsburgh and never had a losing season in his entire tenure.

If Tomlin wants to return to the sideline, the Chargers job would be attractive.

Herbert has shown he can be an elite quarterback, even if he is struggling now.

Tomlin runs a tight ship and could change the culture quickly.

KLIFF KINGSBURY

Kingsbury is currently an assistant coach for the Rams, working under Sean McVay.

His head coaching tenure with the Arizona Cardinals had highs and lows.

He would be a high-risk, high-reward option.

The Chargers may be wary of another offensive-minded coach after the McDaniel experiment.

But some of McVay’s system may have rubbed off on Kingsbury.