Every time the football season ends, the off-season becomes what many call the “coaching carousel,” as coaching positions need to be filled amid openings and firings. This NFL offseason has been especially crazy, with nine head coaching positions available.
One of the teams most affected by these openings has been the Los Angeles Chargers, which needed to hire both a new offensive and defensive coordinator as both have been hired as head coaches. Mike McDaniels filled the offensive position, and now a familiar name in West Michigan has been hired fresh off their MAC championship as the defensive coordinator.
Chris O’Leary’s Standout Season In West Michigan
Chris O’Leary joined the Western Michigan Broncos this past season and made an immediate impact. He turned a mediocre defense into the ninth-best in college football, helping lead the Broncos to their fourth conference title in program history. Whenever a team performs this well, it puts it on a bigger program’s radar.
READ MORE:Â The Biggest Michigan Sports Success Stories of 2025
In this case, it was a former employer. O’Leary’s hiring by the Los Angeles Chargers is a return, as he served as the Chargers’ safeties coach in 2024. Returning to the Bolts on the defensive front after proving his abilities as a defensive coordinator at WMU, coupled with experience at Notre Dame, makes him a perfect fit at LAC.
He’ll have big shoes to fill, but he is arguably the best choice. It’s just a shame it’s coming at the cost of a stellar Broncos team. But all the best to him as he heads back west
It’s not all bad news for the Broncos, however. After winning the MAC Championship and Coach of the Year, head coach Lance Taylor signed a contract extension that will keep him in Kalamazoo until 2030 at the least.
Players In The Super Bowl With Michigan Ties
The Seahawks and the Patriots will duke it out on February 8th to try and win the Lombardi Trophy. These are the players with Michigan connections you’ll see in the Big Game.
Stats come from ESPN
Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill
Michigan State Men’s Basketball BIG 10 Champs 2024-2025
After an up-and-down 2023-2024 season, this Spartan squad is playing some excellent basketball with a deep bench and key transfers.
Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill