The change in staff personnel for the Chargers continues to manifest this offseason.
After defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill departed from Los Angeles on Monday to become the Miami Dolphins pass-game coordinator, the Chargers are at it again, making personnel modifications. However, this time the staff change pertains to the athletic department.
The Chargers have parted ways with head athletic trainer Damon Mitchell, as first reported by Adam Schefter of ESPN. Mitchell, who has held the title for the past six seasons, has spent the last 24 years with the Chargers organization.
The move comes following a season in which the Chargers were decimated by injuries, becoming one of the most-injured teams in the league. Star players on the roster, including the likes of Joey Bosa, J.C. Jackson, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Rashawn Slater all missed an extended period of time this past season.
In holding the head athletic trainer title with the Chargers, Mitchell oversaw all aspects of the medical department, which included general healthcare for every player in the organization. He also consulted with the team executives on all hiring practices of physicians and ancillary medical staff.
Mitchell got his start in athletic training with the Philadelphia Eagles as an intern in 1998. One year later, in 1999, he was hired by the Chargers for the same role, before being promoted to full-time in 2001. For 17 seasons, from 2001-2017, before becoming the head athletic trainer, Mitchell served as the assistant athletic trainer for the club.
Mitchell was appointed Chairperson of Membership Services by the president of the Professional Football Athletic Trainers Association.
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