San Diego Chargers apparently are moving franchise to Los Angeles.
NEW YORK — A media report surfaced Wednesday night that the San Diego Chargers are planning to move to Los Angeles.
The Chargers have called a staff meeting for Thursday morning, a team employee said Wednesday night. The employee spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.
Citing league sources, ESPN.com reported Wednesday night that the Chargers plan to announce as early as Thursday that they are moving to Los Angeles. According to the report, the Chargers have notified NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, and the owners of other teams, of their intent to move to Los Angeles for the 2017 season.
Earlier in the day, the league had given the Chargers a two-day extension until Tuesday to decide.
San Diego would become a tenant in the stadium being built in Inglewood for the Rams if the Chargers exercise that option. If not, the Oakland Raiders would have the option to join the Rams in the L.A. area, though Raiders owner Mark Davis has indicated his intention to seek a move to Las Vegas.
The Chargers would have to find a temporary home in L.A., either the Coliseum or the 27,000seat StubHub! Center in Carson.
Broncos hire Joseph as coach
A runner-up two years ago, Vance Joseph is John Elway’s pick this time around.
“It’s official. Excited to announce Vance Joseph as head coach of the Denver Broncos!” Elway tweeted Wednesday.
The 44-year-old ex-Colorado quarterback built a reputation as one of the league’s best secondary coaches as he worked his way through the ranks in San Francisco, Houston and Cincinnati before serving as Dolphins defensive coordinator last season and helping Miami end an eight-year playoff drought.
“Becoming head coach of the Denver Broncos is a dream job for many reasons,” Joseph said in a statement. “The Broncos have an unbelievable winning tradition and great fan support. But what makes this even more special is it’s a place that’s ready to win.
“This is not a rebuilding situation — it’s a reboot. There is a culture of winning here, and the standards around here won’t change. Those are to win championships.”
Joseph, who will be formally introduced as the team’s 16th head coach on Thursday, impressed Elway in 2015 when Gary Kubiak got the job and the Broncos even tried to hire him as their defensive coordinator, a move the Bengals blocked. So, he stayed in Cincinnati for another year as secondary coach before joining Adam Gase’s Miami staff.
Kubiak, 55, stepped down over health concerns last week, capping a tumultuous season by the Broncos (9-7), who missed the playoffs a year after winning the Super Bowl.
“He took so much off my plate I never had to worry about anything with the defense,” Gase said. “He has that … alpha-type personality where he demands a lot from players and they give him everything they have.”
McDermott is the pick by Bills
The Buffalo Bills are putting their faith in Sean McDermott to fix their underperforming defense and restore relevance to a franchise that hasn’t reached the playoffs since the Music City Miracle loss in January 2000.
The deal was reached shortly after McDermott conducted his second interview with the team in eight days. The 42-yearold has no previous headcoaching experience and spent the past six seasons overseeing the Carolina Panthers’ defense.
McDermott becomes the team’s ninth head coach since the 1999 season, when Buffalo last made the playoffs under Wade Phillips.
The Bills have had two winning records since — 9-7 in both 2004 and 2014 — and extended the NFL’s longest active playoff drought to 17 years after a 7-9 finish this season .
McDermott has 18 seasons of NFL experience, spending his first 12 years with the Philadelphia Eagles..
Under McDermott, the Panthers’ defense enjoyed four straight seasons of being ranked in the NFL’s top 10 in fewest yards allowed before taking a step back this season to 21st. Carolina still finished sixth against the run.
Cowboys’ Elliott OK after crash
Star Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott was involved in a minor vehicle accident not far from the team’s practice facility Wednesday. The rookie didn’t miss practice and said he wasn’t injured.
Frisco police said there were no injuries in the accident at an intersection about a mile from Cowboys headquarters in the suburb about 30 miles north of Dallas. Police responded, but an accident report wasn’t immediately available.
Elliott, who was the NFL rushing champion with 1,631 yards, wouldn’t discuss details of the crash, saying “I’m fine, I’m healthy, I’m good. … My car is messed (up). That’s about it.”