The Los Angeles Chargers have hired Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley as head coach. 

Staley succeeds Anthony Lynn after the Chargers endured an underwhelming 2020 season, finishing 7-9 despite four consecutive wins to conclude the campaign. 

It was a second successive losing season for the Chargers, underlining the task facing Staley. 

But president of football operations John Spanos is confident the 38-year-old is the right man for the job.

"It doesn't matter if you've known Brandon for five minutes or five years, what quickly becomes apparent is the amount of energy and passion he approaches each and every moment with," Spanos told the franchise's official website. 

"The consistency of that enthusiasm is unique and, most importantly, it drives his ability to connect with people. 

"His coaching journey to this particular moment is inspiring; if not for the sheer perseverance and determination of it all, then certainly for the dramatic results it has produced for the teams and players he has coached." 

Staley impressed as a coordinator in 2020, his maiden year with the Rams, as the team enjoyed its best defensive season since 1975, conceding just 9.6 points and 237.3 yards per game. 

He is now looking forward to leading the Chargers, describing the opportunity as "a dream come true". 

"It's hard to put into words just how excited I am for the opportunity to be the Los Angeles Chargers' head coach," he said. 

"While this is certainly a dream come true, it's also a dream that's just beginning. There's a reason this was probably the most sought after job out there – from ownership, to the fans, to the city, to the men in that locker room – it's the total package."