APIn news that has been expected for months, the San Diego Chargers have fired head coach Norv Turner and General Manager A.J. Smith.
Chargers owner Dean Spanos was widely believed to have made that decision fairly early in the 2012 season, and simply waiting until the end of the season to make the news official. On Monday the news became official when the team publicly announced the decision.
“I thank A.J. and Norv for the determination and integrity they brought to the Chargers each and every day,” Spanos said in a statement. “Both Norv and A.J. are consummate NFL professionals, and they understand that in this league, the bottom-line is winning. My only goal is the Super Bowl, and that is why I have decided to move in a new direction with both our head coach and general manager positions. I am committed to our great fans, and we will do whatever we possibly can to achieve that goal.”
Smith has been with the chargers since 2001, first as assistant general manager, and he was promoted to general manager in 2003 after John Butler died. The Chargers won the AFC West five times in Smith’s time with the team, but never got to the Super Bowl.
Turner has a 59-43 record as the Chargers’ head coach. Turner is widely expected to be a sought-after candidate to become an offensive coordinator on some other NFL team.
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Damn. It was good while it lasted.
Finally !!
Whoever picks the images for these stories needs a raise. This pic captures A.J. Smith’s “I’m fired/I’m gonna be fired soon” facial expression well.
Lemme show you my surprised face
Happy New Year to me!
The Lord of No Rings is gone!
bout three years too late
And gas prices are still high today!
Marty?
Finally, a couple years too late!!
Must have been nice not doing their job well and getting paid for it!
Most overrated, under performing duo since Dobie Gillis and Maynard G. Krebs!. No offense to Duane Hickman, of course.
In the “well duh” moment of the day…
Marty Schottenheimer could not be reached for comment.
3 years too late.
Not a fan of the Chargers but they deserve better. They have a pretty good qb and a solid d. Congratulations San Diego, it cant get any worse.
Wow im shocked!! said by no one ever
They finally did it. Rivers should share some of the blame for the past two seasons, though. He was terrible.
A year to late IMO.
2 years too late. He had all the talent in the world with rivers, Tomlinson gates Jackson and could not win the big one. Terrible via h he ruined San Diego from at least two championships
Six years too late imo.
I still don’t understand why AJ fired a 14-2 coach for a mediocre coach like Norv but AJ also drafted Sammy Davis, Buster Davis, Larry English in the 1st round. All were/are busts. Consider AJ’s experiment a colossal failure. Glad to see AJ was shown the door. Guy reached far too often in the draft and was divisive when it came to retaining free agents on the roster.
Good luck Norv, I wasn’t a fan of how coaches the team at times, but you’ll have a good year as an OC next year.
Good riddance AJ.
good deal. going from 14-2 to total confusion? that’s nuts. bye bye norv! ha
Norv, you’re a good OC. Be happy with that! (You’ll also live longer!)
“In news that has been expected for months, the San Diego Chargers have fired head coach Norv Turner and General Manager A.J. Smith.”
Weeks? Everyone expected this after last season at the latest.
Mr. Spanos,
I’m available. I need a job.
Signed,
Matt Millen
Wow, that 14-2 Marty season is looking pretty good right about now, huh?
I can see AJ Smith and Norv Turner working together in 2013. Great tandom, but really bad luck with all the SD injuries over the last three seasons!
If I’m Cleveland or Arizona, I get them BOTH!
I think Norv is a brilliant OC, but he may be too nice of a guy as a head coach.
I hope he’ll come to Oakland if they make the offer.
My only goal is the Super Bowl……….
Then sell the team and let them hire the right people to run it.
Thank you! It has been torture for Charger fans the last few years. This should have happened years ago. Norv will find a spot as an OC. The Lord of No Rings will be flipping burgers somewhere.
norv was more succesful in the playoffs in sd than coryell or marty chokenheimer
for that i am happy for him, i hope he wins another superbowl as an oc somewhere, he’s a great guy
A perfect example of the The Peter Principle. Turner is a good offensive co-ordinator and Smith is a good Assistant GM.
Welcome to Baltimore Norv!
Drew Brees – 1 ring.
Eli Manning – 2 rings.
Ouchie. I’m surprised this duo wasn’t dragged into a downtown area of San Diego and were used for caning exercises on public punishment after that debacle.
If anyone can get more out of Flacco it would be Norv.
National Fanatic says:
Dec 31, 2012 1:22 PM
I can see AJ Smith and Norv Turner working together in 2013.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yeah, I can see them both working at the Walmart as greeters.
It’s about damn time!….go Pats!
Ding dong the witch is dead!! Him and his flying monkey coach can go melt away into oblivion.
Marty>AJ
heycraigc
That’s funny
steelerben
That’s funny, I mean really, really funny,
There we go. Ravens next offensive coordinator. Then you guys will see Flacco had a crappy system with Cam.
A.J sucked. Did he do anything right?
Rivers got worse as the coaches became worse at putting together a good offensive line or blocking schemes. If you watched games you would see philip running or his life on every pass play and it didn’t matter which team they were playing. Injuries played a part but I watched a lot of games and lots of teams had injuries and most were still able to kind of block people unlike the Chargers who could not block anyone, also how they ruined Mathews. Look for him to go crazy next year no matter who the coach is.
3 years overdue
I hope the Chargers hire Andy Reid to coach the team,he is a great coach that can win a Super Bowl for the Chargers soon.
Congratulations to the Cowboys. You now have an Offensive Coordinator who will call a screen pass when the defense is sending 7 rushers on EVERY play.
So why is no one beating the drum nationally for Turner, like they are for Andy Reid? They have very similar results. I guess he gets no sympathy since he has never had to deal with those awful Eagle fans (or hired his Offensive Line coach as the Defensive Coordinator).
Next announcement: Move to the Rose Bowl.
Just wasted a season. Should of happened last season.
Brees
Sproles
Turner
Tomlinson
V. Jackson
Cromartie
Let a lot of talent leave. But it’s ok because they have Ryan Mathews now.
About 5 years too late
1oldpro says:
Dec 31, 2012 1:15 PM
Most overrated, under performing duo since Dobie Gillis and Maynard G. Krebs!. No offense to Duane Hickman, of course.
——————————————–
Outstanding reference. Not many people remember Dobie Gillis, let alone Maynard G. Krebs (pre-Gillian). I feel old.
Loser ownership = loser FO. Evidence: Drew Brees, Darren Sproles.
“Norv” Turner is NOT an excellent OC. It’s just a myth that has been propagated over the last 20 years. Offenses in Miami and Oakland got worse under his guidance. And of course he played a large role in Rivers decline from a Pro Bowl caliber QB to lower-tier QB.
Having said that, I have absolutely no doubt that he’ll get another job as an OC (if not HC) because he’s an expert schmoozer.
“It’s not what you know it’s who you know”
Finally A.J Smith is gone, now get a GM whos willing to go the distancefor them to win and get rid of Rivers.
I find it humorous that some people think the Chargers should have kept Tomlinson around. He was done. He really helped out those Jets didnt he? Say what you want about them letting talent go but LT was finished.
The Chargers should hire Phil Jackson as head coach, give him personnel powers too. Then move to LA.
I hear Greg Knapp is available…
Does the NFL provide owners with a stock speech?
That sounds suspiciously, word for word, like the one given by the Eagles Jeff Lurie.
Marty Schottenheimer and his 14 – 2 record wasn’t good enough for those clowns in San Diego. They needed someone to take them to the ‘next level’ – tell me, what level are they at now? Four years too late and as a Bronco fan I laugh in their general direction.
Even though Norv Turner needed to be fired, he was classy to the end and did the Monday news conference. Smith was nowhere to be found.
Norv will be a fine offensive coordinator somewhere, as for aj I have NOTHING good to say about him.
The Chargers officially have the Rooney Rule Blues. Cant hire a coach until they interview a man of color.
I liked the comeback from AJ Smith when asked by a reporter what Dean Spanos said to him. He said
(No soup for you).