Chargers interview interim GM JoJo Wooden, interim coach Giff Smith

As expected, the Chargers interviewed interim general manager JoJo Wooden to be Tom Telesco’s permanent replacement on Wednesday, one day after they conducted interviews with interim coach Giff Smith and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to replace Brandon Staley.

The Spanos family has cast a wide net in each of their searches, which are running concurrently. They reportedly have asked for permission to speak to at least seven outside candidates to replace Telesco, who along with Staley was fired on Dec. 15, one day after a humiliating 63-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

In addition, the Chargers reportedly have asked permission to speak to at least nine possible outside candidates to replace Staley, who was 24-24 during his two-plus seasons on the job, his first head coaching position. Telesco was with the Chargers for 11 seasons, dating to 2013.

University of Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh, only days removed from leading the Wolverines to a victory over Washington in the national championship game, is thought to be their preferred choice. He has deflected questions about leaving the school, saying he wished to enjoy the celebration in Ann Arbor.

It wasn’t immediately certain what Pete Carroll’s departure as coach of the Seattle Seahawks after a stellar 14-year tenure might mean for the Chargers’ search. Carroll, 72, said in a news conference Wednesday that “we’ll have to wait and see” when asked about coaching elsewhere.

The list of coaching candidates the Chargers have requested permission to interview includes Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Dallas Cowboys defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.

Each of the four candidates is currently with teams preparing for the playoffs.

Wooden, who also started with the Chargers in 2014, was the team’s director of player personnel when he was given the title of interim general manager after Telesco’s firing. He made one bold move in the season’s final weeks, waiving defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day, a team captain, on Dec. 22.

The list of potential GM candidates includes assistant GMs Jeff Ireland of the New Orleans Saints, Brandon Brown of the New York Giants, Adam Peters of the San Francisco 49ers and Ian Cunningham of the Chicago Bears. Terrance Gray, the Buffalo Bills’ director of player personnel, also is on the list.

Smith was 0-3 as Staley’s replacement, but there would be no repeat of the Chargers’ historic loss to the Raiders, when they gave up a franchise-record 63 points. The Chargers rallied around Smith but lost to the Buffalo Bills, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs to end the season 5-12.

Moore was hired from the Dallas Cowboys during the offseason of 2023 to inject more explosiveness into the offense, but despite endorsements from quarterback Justin Herbert and others, they ranked 21st in points, down from 13th during the 2022 season, and they were 18th in yards, down from ninth in ’22.

Herbert threw for a career-low 3,134 yards this season, sitting out the final four games because of a fractured right index finger that required surgery. He also threw 20 touchdowns with seven interceptions in his fourth season in the NFL after signing a then-record five-year, $262.5 million contract extension in July.