Lombardi, Hill and Swinton join Chargers as coordinators

Mon, Jan 25, 2021
By JOE REEDY (AP Sports Writer)

COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) - New Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley has started building his staff by naming his coordinators.

The Chargers announced on Monday they have agreed to terms with Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator, Renaldo Hill as defensive coordinator and Derius Swinton II as special teams coordinator.

All three have worked with Staley before. Lombardi was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Mercyhurst College in 2005, when Staley transferred from Dayton to play with his twin brother, Jason. Hill and Swinton were on coaching staffs with Staley in either Denver or Chicago.

Two of Staley's coordinators are Black - Hill and Swinton II. Staley said during his introductory news conference last week that he would have a diverse coaching staff.

"I think the biggest thing that needs to happen is that people need to have a platform for these guys to be able to express themselves to the world and the NFL. There has been a movement to make that happen, but all you can do is live the mission," he said. "The NFL, the only way it's going to be as good as it can be is if we really make progress on this issue. I think that you'll be able to see that within our coaching staff moving forward."

Lombardi has spent the past five seasons as New Orleans quarterbacks coach and was with the Saints for 12 seasons over two stints. He went to Detroit as offensive coordinator in 2014, but was fired seven games into the 2015 season.

"I'm just so excited about Joe coming here. The wealth of knowledge and experience he possesses, having operated within one of the premier offensive systems in the NFL for over a decade," Staley said in a statement. "He is someone who has a lot of great ideas about what this Chargers offense should, and will, be moving forward."

Hill has three years of NFL coaching experience after a 10-year playing career and five years coaching in college. He has been Denver's defensive backs coach the past two seasons.

"The wealth of experience Renaldo owns, both as a player and a coach in this league, it's a rare combination," said Staley, who was hired by the Chargers on Jan. 17. "He's a guy that I have a great personal relationship with and a guy that just has a tremendous background to help our team be successful."

Swinton has been on NFL staffs for 13 seasons, including leading San Francisco's special teams in 2016. He has been with Arizona the past three seasons as a special teams assistant.

"We've worked together before in Chicago, which I obviously value immensely, and even more importantly, he's had the benefit of having been with one of the premier special teams coaches in the league in Jeff Rodgers," Staley said. "Also, situationally, he's been instrumental in helping the Cardinals with game management; it's something that I'm really excited for him to bring to the Chargers."

___

More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL