Saturday 14 January 2017 07:57, UK
Los Angeles Chargers have named Anthony Lynn as their new head coach.
Just a day after confirming their relocation to LA from San Diego, the Chargers have filled the position left vacant by the departure of Mike McCoy at the end of the season.
Lynn had been the interim head coach of the Buffalo Bills, stepping up from his position as offensive coordinator and he has beaten off competition from six other candidates for the post which is his first permanent head coach position.
The former Denver and San Francisco running back has enjoyed a long coaching career with his one-year stay at the Bills, following on from a five year stint as the New York Jets running backs coach.
He held the same positions at Cleveland, Dallas and Jacksonville, having begun as the Broncos special teams assistant in 2000.
Other interviewees for the post included Detroit defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, Kansas City special teams coordinator Dave Toub, New England defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, Carolina defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Mike Smith.
But Lynn is the man owner Dean Spanos and general manager Tom Telesco have opted to lead the organisation into a new era.
Chargers president of football operations, John Spanos, said: "One thing that's very clear about Anthony Lynn is he's a leader. He's a natural-born leader.
"He is really going to communicate and connect with our players. He's had a number of great coaching influences in his life and as a former player who won two Super Bowls, Anthony knows first-hand what championship pedigree is all about."
The Chargers dismissed McCoy on January 1, hours after a season-ending 37-27 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and which left the team with a 5-11 record this season.
And Lynn said he was eager for the challenge ahead later this year: "I want to make sure San Diego fans know how much we love San Diego, how grateful we are and how many great memories we have.
"In the very next breath, I have to express I am going up the road and those folks are going to get the very same guy the people in San Diego got for 13 years.”
He entered the league as an undrafted rookie running back and played in the 1990s for the Broncos, 49ers and again for the Broncos, winning two Super Bowl titles with Denver.
With McDermott taking the HC position at Buffalo, the Rams confirming Sean McVay, Vance Joseph being appointed by the Broncos and Doug Marrone now in permanent charge of Jacksonville it means only the San Francisco 49ers are yet to fill their head coach position.
You can follow all the play-off action across the weekend on Sky Sports 2, starting on Saturday at 9pm with Seattle's trip to Atlanta followed by New England's clash with Houston. On Sunday you can see Pittsburgh's showdown with Kansas City from 5.30pm and Green Bay's trip to Dallas.
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