As expected, the Chargers on Thursday hired Greg Roman as their new offensive coordinator, replacing Kellen Moore, who was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles earlier in the week. Roman’s resume includes six seasons working alongside new Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh.
So, the fit seemed natural.
Roman served as an associate head coach under Harbaugh at Stanford during the 2009 and ’10 seasons. Roman then joined Harbaugh when the San Francisco 49ers hired them for the 2011 season, reuniting them as offensive coordinator and head coach, respectively, for the next four seasons.
In addition, Roman was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2019 to ’22, serving on the staff of Coach John Harbaugh, Jim’s older brother. Roman didn’t coach this past season, departing the Ravens after their loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in an AFC wild-card playoff game.
The Chargers also announced they hired Marcus Brady as their passing game coordinator.
Roman’s hiring means Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert will be working with his third offensive coordinator in as many seasons when spring practices begin in a few months. Moore came to the Chargers from the Dallas Cowboys to replace Joe Lombardi, who was fired after the 2022 season.
Herbert threw for a career-low 3,134 yards this past season, sitting out for the final four games because of a fractured right index finger that required surgery. He said on Jan. 8, one day after the Chargers finished last in the AFC West with a 5-12 record, that he hoped to begin his offseason program on schedule.
Of working with a new offensive coordinator, Herbert said, “It’s part of the job.”
Roman’s reputation as an offensive coordinator is rooted in the running game. The Ravens were the NFL’s top-ranked rushing offense during his four seasons with Baltimore, averaging 175.2 yards per game. He was named the league’s top assistant coach in 2019 by The Associated Press.
Roman began his coaching career in a variety of capacities with the Carolina Panthers in 1995, joined the Houston Texans as a tight ends coach and later as a quarterbacks coach in 2002 before becoming an offensive line coach in the first of his two stints with the Ravens in 2006.
He also was the Buffalo Bills’ offensive coordinator from 2015 to ’16 before he rejoined the Ravens as a tight ends coach in 2017. He was promoted to offensive coordinator two years later, helping the franchise to a 14-2 record while coaching quarterback Lamar Jackson to league MVP honors.
Baltimore averaged 206 yards rushing and 33.2 points per game in 2019.
Roman was hired two days after the Chargers hired Jesse Minter to be their new defensive coordinator, replacing Derrick Ansley, who reportedly is in line to become an assistant with the Green Bay Packers. Minter served on Harbaugh’s staff at the University of Michigan the past two years.
