Marty Continues To Coach Chargers For One More Year

YAY! Here is the official word from Chargers Owner Dean Spanos:

STATEMENT OF DEAN SPANOS
President and Chief Executive Officer
San Diego Chargers

"I have decided that Marty Schottenheimer is the best person to lead the Chargers in the 2007 season. General Manager A.J. Smith and I agree on this fundamental point. That is why we are pleased to welcome Marty and his coaching staff back for Marty's sixth season as head coach of the San Diego Chargers.

"We are all bitterly disappointed how this season ended, but we can't allow our disappointment to cloud the achievements of our franchise over the past few years. Only two teams have won more regular season games over the past three years than the Chargers. We have 24 key players under long-term contracts through at least 2009. This is a fine young team, with great chemistry, and right now stability is important for this team. I'm already looking forward to next season.

"That is why we are also offering one-year contract extensions for Coach Schottenheimer's staff, through 2008. We also offered a one-year $4.5 million contract extension to Marty, with a team option buy-out of $1 million for the 2008 season. He decided not to accept this extension, and I respect his decision.

"Now it is time to put this issue behind us and move forward together. That is what I told both Marty and A.J. when I met with them this afternoon. The entire Chargers family will do whatever it takes to bring a championship to San Diego."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

1-17-2007 @ 6:45PM

SteveA said...

I think it makes sense, even though, as a SD fan, I am still dissapointed with the loss.

You've got 10 (now) pro-bowlers on that team, and with a few tweaks here and there, a team which can be an elite team again next season. Why change coaches now? I see no reason why they won't be in the playoffs again next season, and if they lose then, Marty is gone. Keeping him is the smart decision.

1-17-2007 @ 9:12PM

Diana said...

I am glad that he has been asked to return to the Chargers. I am very impressed that he didnt do the marty ball.
I too am very upset that we lost the game, I have my own personal thoughts on that. I truly believe we deserve to go all the way. I believe Marty has earned that right. I hope the Chargers will figure it all out for next season.
I have been a fan for almost 30 years, I will always be a fan, and love San Diego Chargers!!!! My home team even though I dont live there any more..

Thank You

kentnoelle said...

Been a Chargers fan for 40 years and I'm disappointed. Every year with Marty here its playoffs and one game and out. Poor decision making by the coach and poor fundamental execution at end of game cost them this time. Marty, like Rick Adelman in NBA basketball wins alot of games but can't finish the season. The Chiefs must be laughing their behinds off right now becuase they suffered through 10 years of this joker. Who will it be next year that upsets us I wonder.

1-17-2007 @ 10:11PM

Kevin said...

Good for San Diego. They made the right decision. If Marty was to be replaced they would have most likely squandered the talent they have while ramping up with new Coaches with new procedures and plays. There is obviously chemistry now on the team and they will probably never forget the foul taste of self defeating breakdowns in their execution. Marty is a proven winner and he knows how to build winning teams so perhaps the critics will remember that Denver didn't fire Shanahan after losing two Super bowls and it finally paid off in the end.

$nasty \'M$ 5

1-18-2007 @ 10:27AM

nasty \'M said...

To Diana (#2) No team deserves to go to the playoffs and win it all. You play yourself either in or out, but no one deserves anything on the field. This isn't the grade school play ground.

To Kentnoille (#3) Actually the Chiefs fans are not laughing their butts off about Marty. He took a less than average Chiefs team and a similiar SD team and put a lot of wins on the board. He revitalized the team & community. If the truth were stated, most Chiefs fans would prefer that SD would let Marty go. Be careful for what you hope for - you know the rest of the line. SD is much better w/ him than w/o him. The problem w/ going 14 & 2 or 13 & 3 is that the fans and the media think you are better than you are and you get to thinking like Diana - that you deserve this or that. Because of a 14 & 2 record SD has 10 players going to the Pro Bowl but life has a way of showing you that you are never as good or as bad as you think you are.

Marty is a defensive minded coach who will always have his team in the game. But, the further you go into the game the more conservative he becomes. That is why his teams usually either win or loose the game during the last 90 seconds, usually by a field goal or a 'go on 4th down drive' at the end. Marty has attempted to "change his spots" but he looks very uncomfortable in doing so. I would rather have Marty than Edwards any time, but I would rather have Vermeil back. If you look at the SuperBowl teams over the last 20 years you will see that 90% of the winning coaches were offensive minded. Neither Edwards or Marty will break into that class but they will win a lot of games trying. A part of the problem with the Chargers at the end of the year is that they all got caught up in the awards issue, so & so deserves this award and so & so deserves that award. Forget all that hype and focus on the game. Look where those awards got your team. Remember - no one deserves anything untill you earn it all the way to the end.