Jim Harbaugh Avoids Responsibility for Chargers' Special Teams Issues
Special teams have become a notable weakness for the LA Chargers this season, surprising many given the previous success under coordinator Ryan Ficken, who revitalized the unit years ago and maintained it as one of the league's best.
Some problems stemmed from unforeseen events. The Chargers lost their Pro Bowl-level long snapper to injury just before the season, forcing them to sign a replacement who retired two months later. Such circumstances were impossible to prepare for.
However, the Chargers control the personnel choices on special teams. Despite this, Jim Harbaugh and Joe Hortiz appear to have deprioritized special teams when making roster decisions, which, though seemingly minor, have harmed the team's performance.
After the trade deadline, the Chargers traded standout special teams player Ja'Sir Taylor for a seventh-round pick in 2028. When questioned about these decisions, Harbaugh chose to deflect instead of addressing the rationale behind them.
"The Chargers head coach didn't take the question as an opportunity to explain the team's reasoning. Instead, he took it as an opportunity to deflect as an ill-intended question."
It's one thing to struggle with a unit the team trusts, but the Chargers' ongoing special teams issues have only been worsened by recent roster moves.
Author's Summary
Jim Harbaugh's reluctance to address the Chargers' special teams struggles underscores the impact of questionable roster choices and missed accountability.