Chargers hire Derius Swinton II to be special teams coordinator

It’s been a week into the Brandon Staley era and we finally have our first coordinator hire, and this one may be the most important, depending on which fans you ask.

According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, the Chargers are hiring former Cardinals assistant special teams coordinator Derius Swinton to be their new special teams coordinator. Prior to his time in Arizona, he was an offensive assistant with the Lions in 2018 and also coached special teams with the 49ers (2016) and the Bears (2015, 2017). During that 2017 season in Chicago, Swinton also spent time helping coach the outside linebackers alongside Staley, who was in his first year with the Bears, as well.

Swinton played his college football as a safety at Hampton University from 2003 to 2006. In his career, he finished with 103 total tackles, 19 pass breakups and eight interceptions.

After the recent special teams play from this franchise, it’s a huge sigh of relief to see that someone with a wealth of special teams experience, while still being on the youthful side, is now in charge of the unit going forward.