In a downward spiral of events, the Los Angeles Chargers continue to reek of disappointment and failure. After firing offensive coordinator Greg Roman, it feels as if the walls are closing in fast on a team that at one point held so much promise. According to a former player however, it could have been ad could still be much worse.
As the Chargers enter the third year of the Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz era, there is a feeling wholesalew change could be coming, even outside of Greg Roman’s departure. Some however think that Harbaugh should have been fired as well. While he has a 22-12 record over two years, he also has two playoff losses now.
With fans and pundits alike on both sides arguing their thoughts, at least one ex-player has voiced their discontent.
Chargers go head and clean that whole house. I’m talking ground zero.
Former Players Weigh In as Frustration Boils Over
Breiden Fehoko, a former Charger who signed with the team as a UDFA in 2020, had pretty strong words for the Chargers. After all, the Chargers were still a playoff team this year and the year before as well. Plus, they still have a solid foundation to work with.
Still, Fehoko’s comments also highlight the need for something to change. Roman is already out the door. Does that mean other personnel changes are coming? Or will it just be Roman for now? Certain questions about what the Chargers will do with all their cap space will emerge as well. Can they truly rebuild the interior of the offensive line? Will they add new weapons for Justin Herbert? How will they attack the draft? All of these questions could lend credence to Fehoko’s argument.
One interesting thing about Fehoko’s comments is that while he has been critical of the team, he has largely been a fan of one player in particular: Justin Herbert.
This was my biggest issues with the chargers. Justin Herbert plays like Superman too often and it covers up so much people get complacent. I get your pillar stone tackles hurt but that’s no excuse to trot out the product I’m seeing right now.
Justin Herbert, Injuries, and a Roster Built on Thin Margins
While this tweet came after the Chargers’ Week 18 loss to the Houston Texans, the sentiment behind Fehoko’s words in some ways still stands. In conjunction with the comments made after the playoff loss, there’s no reason as to why he could be wrong. Justin Herbert for the most part carried this moribund offense as far as it could go and without help, it finally caved in around him.
Fehoko’s addressing the loss of both Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt just puts it all into perspective. it’s not as easy as pointing the finger to injuries. It’s the infrastructure of the team and the personnel as well. The Chargers as of right now are not well equipped to deal with those injuries, and Fehoko simply wants that issue to be fixed.
Other former Chargers, such as Kyle Van Noy, have been quite the opposite compared to Fehoko.
@BreidenFehoko That’s too emotional from the feti man himself! Chargers exceeded expectations after having a BEAT up o-line! A beat up quarterback! A beat up backfield! A legit defense. Do you want better in the playoffs of course!!! But ground up?? That’s crazy talk after losing arguably 2 of
Van Noy’s approach seems much more reasonable and takes into consideration the different elements that led up to the Chargers’ pratfalls. With both arguments somewhat viable however, it could come down to this offseason to see which of these takes is more right than the other.
Christopher Sheppard Christopher Sheppard is a passionate and knowledgeable sports journalist based in Englewood, NJ pursuing a role in the sports media industry. He covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, focusing on the Dolphins, Chargers, and Buccanneers. More about Christopher Sheppard
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