Los Angeles Chargers

The Spanos family hasn't been great at hiring Chargers head coaches

Published Nov. 24, 2015 7:04 p.m. ET

foxsports

Another hire like Mike McCoy could sink the Chargers into a decade of mediocrity.

They're at a crossroads. But the Spanos family has been known to make a coaching move in the wrong direction one too many times.

Take the unpopular 2007 firing of head coach Marty Schottenheimer. It was a reactionary move; the Chargers had ruined their best-ever season with a home playoff loss at Schottenheimer was the scapegoat.

Team president Dean Spanos failed to pull the plug on his replacement, Norv Turner, until it was too late. Instead, Turner was extended after three playoff seasons before driving the team to the AFC West's cellar.

McCoy was the next choice, but he never had to be. The Chargers once employed current Coach of the Year frontrunner Ron Rivera as defensive coordinator. And there was plenty of reported interest from Bruce Arians before the Cardinals tabbed him.

Their next hire should be more Arians and less McCoy -- if the Spanoses can deliver on such a candidate.

(h/t U-T San Diego)