COSTA MESA, Calif. -- In a surprising move, the Los Angeles Chargers fired offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt on Monday.
"This is not an easy decision and definitely not one that I take lightly," Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said in a statement. "You win as a team, and you lose as a team. It's never about just one person. At the end of the day, however, I simply felt a change was needed at this time. I want to thank Ken for his years of service to the Chargers organization and wish him nothing but the best moving forward."
Whisenhunt, 57, had served as the Chargers' offensive coordinator since 2016 and has a close relationship with quarterback Philip Rivers. However, the Chargers (3-5) have struggled to move the football, averaging just 19.6 points per contest, which ranks 23rd in the NFL.
They've especially had difficulty running. They are the first team in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) with four straight games under 40 rushing yards -- all with Melvin Gordon back in the fold after his contract holdout.
Whisenhunt was in his second stint as offensive coordinator for the Chargers. He also served in that role in 2013 for then-coach Mike McCoy before leaving to take the head-coaching job of the Tennessee Titans, where Whisenhunt went 3-20 before being fired after 1½ seasons.
The Chargers did not name a replacement for Whisenhunt. Lynn called plays as the offensive coordinator while in Buffalo in 2016, and the organization is high on quarterbacks coach Shane Steichen.