In a decisive move that comes only two days after Chargers closed a disappointing season with a win over the Oakland Raiders, San Diego has announced it is retaining head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith.
In a statement relayed by Pro Football Weekly, Dean Spanos laid out the reasoning of the Chargers’ brass clearly and succinctly:
A.J. Smith is the best man to improve our roster, and Norv Turner is the best man to lead that roster on the field.
Turner has compiled a 49-31 record in five seasons as the Chargers head coach but his team has missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons despite towering preseason expectations.
Many observers felt that once San Diego was eliminated from the playoffs this season that the firing of Turner was nearly a certainly. Apparently, however, a 3-1 finish to the season after a 4-7 start was enough to save the embattled coach’s job.
