Jan 16, 2026
3 min read
General Manager Joe Hortiz and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh held their year-end press conference Thursday afternoon in El Segundo.
General manager Joe Hortiz and head coach Jim Harbaugh held their year-end press conference Thursday afternoon in El Segundo.
Here are five taken from Horties and Harpo.
1. Change of OC
It was announced on Tuesday that he had parted ways with Greg Roman, who served as the team's offensive coordinator for the past two seasons.
Harbaugh was asked Thursday about the decision to fire his longtime coach.
"A new start, a new path," Harbaugh said.
He then added: "Greg is a great football idea, he has had a lot of success. Also a new start for him, a new start for our team and our mistakes."
Mike Devlin, the offensive line coach for the past two seasons, also parted ways.
While they posted 11 wins and made the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, Harbaugh said the Bolts weren't happy with the status quo — so the coaching staff changed.
Harbaugh noted that both Roman and Devlin have played a role in the recent success, but said it's a "results-driven business."The Bolts were one-and-done in back-to-back seasons, scoring just one touchdown in those two games.
“There were a lot of things that were done well, a lot of things that were done very well,” Harbaugh said."A lot of offensive line combinations were real. It was very tough, very tough. The NFL is brutal, unfair, tough, it's the nature of the business.
"Whatever we feel makes us better, we're always looking for that," Harbaugh said."Whether that includes the players, the coaches, myself. It's a results-oriented business."
Harbaugh later emphasized the point, saying that just making the playoffs wasn't good enough.
"It's been a really good two seasons. I've had a regular season. I'm in the postseason," Harbaugh said.
"We're going to do what's best for that," Harbaugh added.
The Bolts have begun interviews for an offensive coordinator search, Brady confirmed for interviews Thursday morning.
2. OC find more networks
At a normal level, Harbuguh described his future debate.
"This is the head coach of the offense," Harbaugh said.
Then elaborate on the features that should be emphasized.
"The guy who coaches, sets up, puts the players in the best position to be successful," Harbaugh said."The bottom line, number 1."
Meanwhile, Harbaugh, Hortiz and assistant general manager Chad Alexander will form an interview committee.
Harbaugh said the Bolts will cast "a big net to get the best guy we can," and he doesn't have a specific timeline in mind.
But should this guy do the offense Roma does?One that focuses on the powerhouse brand of football that has been talked about so much since arriving in Southern California two years ago?
Both are not necessary.
"We're open. We're not putting ourselves in a position where we have to have one system, one type of bad system. It's casting a wide net," Harbaugh said.
"But we're open ... many ways to skin a cat on offense and in football. We're trying to find the best," Harbaugh continued.
He also added: We are open to all philosophies.
Hortiz echoed that sentiment.
“I think it's about exploring all the options, there are a lot of great names inside and out," Hortiz said. "Trying to reach as many people as possible.spend time with themFind the right oneThen you will find the right one.”
If one thing is certain, the offensive locker room in Los Angeles is definitely not empty.
The group is led by quarterback Justin Herbert, who features Pro Bowl tackle Rashawn Slater and Joe Ault.
Add in skill players like 2025 first-round running back Omarion Hampton, established pass catchers like Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and young players like Tre' Harris and Oronde Gadsden, and the new offensive coordinator will have a lot of work to do.
"They're telling us the same thing. They see."
Therefore, the new offensive coordinator will have input into the selection of the offensive line coach.
"If he feels he needs someone to run his own system, well, he has an opinion on that."Harbaugh said.
See the 53-man roster as of January 7, 2026.
3. Complete trust in Herbert
Speaking of Herbert...
The quarterback is probably the main reason the offensive coordinator candidate would end up with the Bolts.
"It starts with Justin. The respect, the people who want to work with him, who have the same urgency as we do, I think they see it as real," Harbaugh said.
But don't expect Herbert to have amplified input on the next offensive play-caller.
"Justin is as good as he is smart. I don't have any questions about him as a player. He doesn't want to be a head coach or coach. It's our job to put him in the best position possible," Harbaugh said.
He later added: "It wasn't something he was interested in getting involved with and he wasn't at that point ... he wasn't involved in the process at that point."
Herbert showed great resilience in 2025 while playing ahead of a combination of more than two offensive lines and battling through a broken left arm in the final month of the season.
Herbert has been sacked 54 times in 2025, the second-most in the league, and has also faced a league-high 263 pressures.
Harbaugh and Hortiz reiterated the need to protect their franchise quarterback more consistently.
"Sometimes we do, sometimes we don't. We're here today, this week, and it sucks. We don't want to be here this week, we want to be here in four weeks," Hortiz said."Have we done Justin's complaint or any words you want to say? We're not good enough and our goal is to be good enough. We've done Dean's [Spanos] complaint, I've coached [Harbaugh's] complaint. We're all together.
"We want to win a Super Bowl, so we have to get better. How do we get better? We attack. We spend weeks and months talking leading up to free agency, leading up to the draft, and then we make the best decision for the team at that point," Hortis added."We're still trying to add players to make sure the team is as good as it can be. At the end of the day, we're going to say we weren't good enough until we won the Super Bowl."
Harbaugh added: "It's our job to get to [Herbert's] level. We're always trying to do that."
Hartiz was also asked why Herbert's pocket was always tight.
"I think there are a lot of things that go into it. Health is definitely one of them," Hartz said."Getting the players, making us more competitive. I think you'll see that this season: how are we better?
"On the Schematic side and player. For a response to a response, no," said Hortiz. "
As for the bigger picture, the brass made it known that they didn't want any other player at quarterback.
“Justin is a winner,” Harbaugh said."I don't think there's anyone who could look at him - the way he prepares, he trains, the talent level - and not say he's a winner. 100% in my mind."
Hortiz added: "I'm worried about not winning [in the playoffs]. It has nothing to do with any individual player."
4. Jesse Minter in transition?
Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has already completed several head coaching interviews.
And Harbaugh said Thursday that Minter has offers from "all" of the nine teams with current complaints.
That means the Bolts may also be looking for a new defensive coordinator, something Harbaugh and Hortiz have already considered.
"It's not so much a matter of 'if,' we know that. It's a matter of 'when,'" Harbaugh said.
"The product that Jesse has established as a defensive coach is so good that we know it's just a matter of when. We've been preparing for it," Harbaugh added.
Hortiz said: "You're ready ... you have a list of candidates ready if he leaves. We have a lot of good coaches on the staff, on the defensive staff that will also be considered, if he leaves. We have good players here, on both sides of the ball.
Harbaugh said he will take a similar approach to the vacant defensive coordinator job for the now-open offensive coordinator role.
"I think you have to look at it internally and externally. I do. You have to talk to people, and I think that's the best way to do it," Hortiz said."Whether you hire internally or externally, that's the final decision you make. But I think outside the building when you get a chance to talk to people about their schemes, their philosophies, their coaches, but then they can give you parts of their team because they're looking at you.
"You can get some ideas from this. I think this is a great opportunity for us to learn a lot about the candidates and a little bit about ourselves as well," Hortiz added.
Harbaugh and Hortiz noted that they would be open to a scheme change if Minter leaves.
"The players we have on defense, I think they're versatile. If you look at what we do on defense, we already play multiple systems," Hortiz said."Guys fit in different ways depending on the grouping on the field. We just want the best candidate when we're in that position."
Of course, there's always the chance that Minter won't get the head coaching job.Harbaugh and Hortiz have weighed in on that position.
"If things don't work out for Jesse, we'd be happy to have him back. I love Jesse and I've known Jesse since he was with us in Baltimore and obviously Coach brought him in from Michigan," Hartiz said."Like Coach said, it's not 'when' and 'if'. We'll keep Jesse as long as he wants to stay. But I don't know how long."
Harbaugh added: "If there's a way, we'd love to find it."
A final note about the coaching staff.
While Hortiz and Harbaugh said they don't expect much personnel change at this time, they will be looking for a new head coach as NaVorro Bowman steps down to focus on his family.Bowman's son is a high school basketball player.
"NaVorro Bowman has decided to retire from coaching," Hortiz said."For those of you who don't know, his son is an elite hooper. He wants to be a dad and help guide him through the college and college selection process."
"As Bo's passionate father and as Bo's general manager and colleague here, I'm disappointed," Hartez said."I love him and he's done a great job. I understand his way of thinking. We'll miss him."
5. Plenty of salary cap space
The 2026 season is just days away for the Chargers.
But it's never too early to look ahead to the next few months.
The 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft currently has 27 players set to become free agents in March.
"I talked to a lot of them Monday. Not all of them," Hortiz said of the potential free agents.
"Now, it's a free agency and there are guys. But we're going to fight to keep as many players as possible," said Hortiz."Of course, you have conversations and try to do it. If it doesn't work, you have to have a plan for a pillar."
One way to keep some of your boys?The fact that the 2,206 payroll is projected to be north of $100 million.
A year ago, around 60 million was projected in cap space, after Hortiz said, the team would be "responsible and clinical" in its approach.
Will this mindset change at all in 2026?
"I don't want to spend recklessly, I know. We've got some guys who are up there and hopefully we can let them eat into some of their cover space. I'd like to give them some of that," Hortiz said."I think you have to make smart decisions in free agency. I have said over and over, if you look for perceived needs in free agency and the draft, you end up paying more often than not for excess or for making mistakes.
"We have to be calculated, we have to be smart.We have to be all in the player and believe in the player.We're going to spend money, but we're also going to spend money internally because there's a lot of guys we'd like to get back," Hortiz added.
Hertz noted that while they didn't spend their 2025 cap space, it turned out to be a smart move that allowed them to trade for Odafe Owe's contract in October.
"We had the flexibility to trade up to Odafe by giving up a little bit and take that big number. So you have to be smart and spend the money, but leave yourself some flexibility," said Hortiz.
Finally, Hortiz was asked about wide receiver Quentin Johnston.The deadline for the fifth-year pick is May 1.
"We haven't had a conversation about that yet. Again, it's early days," Hortiz said."But I will say this. I love Q and the growth he's made, the progress he's made from Year 1 to Year 3 is amazing to see. I'm a big fan of Q."
