Chargers To Retain Head Coach Turner, GM Smith

Related To Story Photo By: Earnie Grafton/U-T San Diego

POSTED: 11:26 am PST January 3, 2012

UPDATED: 11:52 am PST January 3, 2012

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego Chargers President Dean Spanos has decided to keep head coach Norv Turner and general manager A.J. Smith despite the team missing the playoffs for the second straight season amid increasing fan discontent. Spanos made his decision Tuesday, two days after the Chargers finished 8-8 by beating Oakland to keep the Raiders out of the playoffs."Bottom line, I believe these two men give us the best chance to get back to the playoffs," said Spanos. "A.J. Smith is the best man to improve our roster, and Norv Turner is the best man to lead that roster on the field ?"Turner is 49-31 in five years in San Diego but only 3-3 in the playoffs. He is 107-113-1 in three stints as a head coach, including with Washington and Oakland. Both of those teams fired him.His overall winning percentage of .605 is the highest in Chargers history.San Diego went 4-1 at the beginning and end of the season but was undone by a six-game losing streak in the middle. One more win would have earned the Chargers the AFC West title.Smith has come under fire for the erosion of talent from a roster that at one time was considered among the NFL's best.Smith has been the team's general manger since 2003. The team has won 88 games and five AFC West division titles during his tenure as GM.

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