After a long coaching journey across multiple teams, Brandon Staley finally got his big break with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2021. Over three seasons, he built a competitive NFL team and even led them to a playoff appearance. However, his ultra-aggressive approach and the high expectations surrounding Justin Herbert meant the results fell short of what management and fans wanted.
As a result, the Chargers moved on from Staley, bringing in Jim Harbaugh as their new head coach. After a brief stop as the assistant head coach in San Francisco, Staley is now the new defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints. But for fans, his dramatic physical transformation is all they can talk about.
Fans Shocked By Brandon Staley’s New Look
Staley had a strong start to his head coaching tenure in Los Angeles. Winning nine games in his first season and 10 in his second, fans were hopeful about the team’s future. But a 27-point playoff collapse against the Jacksonville Jaguars — the third-largest comeback in NFL history — turned fans against him instantly.
A 5-9 start in Staley’s third season sealed his fate, and the Chargers began searching for a new coach. Those three years clearly took a toll on Staley. One fan posted a side-by-side comparison of Staley from the start of his Chargers tenure to now, captioning it, “Do not coach the Los Angeles Chargers.”
Some fans took it a step further, comparing his physical decline to that of a U.S. President.
“He’s aged like he’s POTUS.”
In just four years, Staley’s transformation became a talking point. Fans flooded social media with memes, with one joking, “Coaching the Chargers added 20 years to this man lmao.”
Others were stunned by the change, with one fan exclaiming, “Holy f*** what happened to him?!? 4 years after accepting the job to coach the Chargers and he looks 20 years older now, dude is supposed to be 42 now but he looks like he’s in his upper 50’s now.”
Of course, some fans had football-related concerns as well. Despite being a defensive-minded coach, the Chargers never fielded an elite defense under Staley, and one fan didn’t hold back.
“Bottom 3 defense during his 3 years as a head coach. John took the same defense to 1 in scoring defense.”
Only time will tell if Staley’s tenure with New Orleans fares better than his time in Los Angeles. But early signs suggest Saints fans aren’t exactly thrilled about the hire.