Los Angeles Rams

Los Angeles Chargers announce their new head coach

Published Jan. 13, 2017 11:08 p.m. ET

Andre Vergara

The Chargers have a new home, a new logo and a new coach.

Anthony Lynn has been hired to replace the departed Mike McCoy, the team announced Friday, capping a crazy week in which the Bolts bolted San Diego for L.A.

https://twitter.com/Chargers/status/820077264150761472

Lynn knows a thing or two about awkward timing. He replaced Rex Ryan after the Buffalo Bills coach was fired before their last game of the year and then led the Bills' season-ending 30-10 loss at the New York Jets. This week, however, the team announced that Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott would be the new head coach.

But Lynn still secured his third promotion in the past few months. He went from Bills running backs coach to offensive coordinator in September — then to interim head coach for Buffalo's finale.

A first-time head coach, Lynn inherits a Chargers team in transition after 55 years in San Diego. The Chargers, who fired McCoy after a 27-37 record and just one playoff appearance in four seasons, will be moving into the Rams' new state-of-the-art stadium in 2019, and Lynn likely will have to win if he wants to be more than a caretaker coach for the next two seasons.

“I’m having a hard time even putting into words how excited I am to be the new head coach for the Los Angeles Chargers,” Lynn told the team's website. “This is really a dream come true. I want all of our fans to know that we’re going to start by putting together a great staff and we’re going to put together a team with the heart and will of a champion. I know there’s a lot of work to be done and I’m going to give everything I have to the Chargers, the Spanos family and the City of Los Angeles.”

Lynn was a running back with the Denver Broncos when they won consecutive Super Bowls in 1998 and 1999, and his Buffalo teams led the league in rushing yards and TDs in both years.

“One thing that’s very clear about Anthony Lynn is he’s a leader. He’s a natural-born leader,” Chargers president of football operations John Spanos told the team's website. “As you can tell, I am very excited about the leadership qualities he’s going to bring to our team. He is really going to communicate and connect with our players. He’s had a number of great coaching influences in his life and as a former player who won two Super Bowls, Anthony knows first-hand what championship pedigree is all about. We couldn’t be more excited to have him lead our franchise into this exciting new era of Chargers football.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.