Los Angeles Chargers interview former Titans coach Vrabel, ex-Stanford coach Shaw for opening

Updated Jan. 18, 2024 7:47 p.m. ET

Associated Press

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Former Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel was among two candidates on Thursday who interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers opening.

The Chargers also announced earlier in the day that former Stanford University coach David Shaw interviewed, bringing the total number to 11.

The Chargers are looking for a coach and general manager after Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco were fired on Dec. 15, a day after a 63-21 loss at Las Vegas.

It is the first announced interview for Vrabel since he was fired by the Titans on Jan. 9 after six seasons. Vrabel went 56-48 overall, and reached the AFC championship game during the 2019 season as part of three straight playoff berths.

Vrabel was the 2021 AP NFL Coach of the Year, but he had losing seasons the past two years and dropped 18 of his last 24 in Tennessee.

A change appeared imminent after Vrabel did not speak to reporters when the Titans cleaned out their lockers after the season. It was the first time in the franchise’s 27 seasons in Tennessee the head coach did not talk to reporters since the team moved from Houston.

Shaw did not coach last season and was an NFL Network analyst. He was also a frequent presence around UCLA practices since his son, Carter Shaw, was a freshman wide receiver on the Bruins. He had a 96-64 record in 11 seasons at Stanford and led the Cardinal to three Pac-12 titles.

Shaw was an NFL assistant for nine seasons, including 2001 as the Oakland Raiders quarterback coach and 2002-05 with the Baltimore Ravens coaching quarterbacks and wide receivers.

From 2006-10 he was an assistant in college with Jim Harbaugh, first at the University of San Diego in 2006 and then 2007-10 at Stanford, where he was the offensive coordinator.

Harbaugh interviewed for the Chargers opening on Monday and with the Atlanta Falcons on Tuesday.

Los Angeles would also be the first team to be in compliance with the Rooney Rule, which mandates two minority candidates outside the organization must interview in person. Besides Shaw, former Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier interviewed on Sunday.

Candidates not under contract to teams are permitted to interview in person. Candidates still under contract to teams can not have an in-person interview until Monday, which is after the divisional round of the playoffs. Most interviews have taken place virtually.

Besides the Chargers, Atlanta, Carolina, Las Vegas, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington have openings.

The Chargers have also interviewed interim coach Giff Smith and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, Las Vegas Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham, Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks, Baltimore defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald and Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Brian Callahan.

The Chargers have interviewed seven candidates for general manager — interim GM JoJo Wooden, New York Giants assistant GM Brandon Brown, Baltimore director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, Chicago Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Buffalo director of player personnel Terrance Gray, New Orleans Saints assistant GM Jeff Ireland and Indianapolis Colts assistant GM Ed Dodds.

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