OC firing is a risky but necessary change for Chargers' Herbert

Greg Roman. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Greg Roman firing is a risky but necessary change for Chargers QB Justin Herbert

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 2:51 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers offense wilted in the playoffs, costing offensive coordinator Greg Roman his job.

The Chargers fired Roman and offensive line coach Mike Devlin on Tuesday. The move should come as no surprise. L.A. head coach Jim Harbaugh was noncommittal about the OC's future after a 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots in the AFC wild-card round.

"Right now, I don't have the answers," Harbaugh said when asked if Roman was the right play-caller for the team (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra). "We're going to look at that, at everything. It really falls on me that we [weren't] at our best tonight. I don't have the answers. I wish I did. We'll work hard. It'll be a new beginning."

Now, the Chargers are set to begin a critical offseason looking for a new OC. It's a risky move, but it may work out for L.A.

we have parted ways with OC Greg Roman and OL Coach Mike Devlin.
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) January 13, 2026

Firing Greg Roman is risky, but it's a necessary change for QB Justin Herbert

Herbert, who's in the third year of a five-year, $262.5M contract, is now set to play his seventh season with his fifth OC. He previously played for Shane Steichen, Joe Lombardi and Kellen Moore. Continuity is important for a QB, but if he's regressing under a coach, a change is necessary.

In two seasons under Roman, Herbert's numbers dipped. During the 2024 season, the QB averaged a career-low 227.6 passing yards per game (3,870 yards in 17 games). That figure improved to 232.9 in 2025 (3,727 yards in 16 games), but he threw 13 interceptions, the second most in his career.

Herbert's decreased passing yardage totals are tied to Roman's implementation of a run-heavy scheme. After he was hired in February 2024, the OC said he wanted to give the QB an elite ground attack. He failed to accomplish that goal. In 2024, the Chargers ranked 20th in the NFL in rushing yards (107.3), via TeamRankings. This season, the unit ranks 14th (119.7).

Pair that with injuries to the O-line — offensive tackles Joe Alt (ankle) and Rashawn Slater (knee) both landed on injured reserve — and that left L.A. unable to protect Herbert. During the regular season, he took a career-high 54 sacks. He was sacked six times in the postseason loss to the Patriots.

Herbert, who has thrown for the second-most passing yards (24,820) through a player's first six seasons in league history, should help L.A. land a top OC. The Chargers should consider targeting former Miami Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel or ex-Washington Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury. After falling to 0-3 in the playoffs, Herbert clearly needs a QB whisperer as an OC. Roman just wasn't well-suited for that role.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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