Chargers fire Schottenheimer over rapport with team GM

~ San Diego's coach was dismissed despite leading the team to an NFL regular-season best 14-2 record this past season.

SAN DIEGO -- Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer was fired Monday night in a shocking move by team president Dean Spanos, who cited a "dysfunctional situation" between the coach and general manager A.J. Smith.

Less than a month after San Diego's NFL-best 14-2 season was wrecked in a home playoff loss to New England, Spanos said the exodus of assistant coaches -- the two coordinators became NFL head coaches and two assistants became coordinators -- contributed to an "untenable" situation that resulted in the coach being fired. Schottenheimer is due more than $3 million for the final year left on his contract.

While confirming he had no working relationship with Smith, Schottenheimer seemed puzzled that Spanos made the coach take the fall for his assistants leaving.

"That is absolutely unfair in my view," Schottenheimer said. "We had no control over two guys who became head coaches in this league. We gave two guys an opportunity to be coordinators in this league. We've added a couple of guys that people should be very pleased with. The future coach will be very pleased, as well."

Schottenheimer did praise Spanos for making a difficult decision. "I don't disagree with it," the coach said. "I always put the team first."

Asked if Smith should share the blame, Schottenheimer said: "Uh, I'll leave that judgment to others."

Schottenheimer added: "There is and has been no relationship" with Smith.

Since when?

"How long's he been here?" Schottenheimer said.

Smith was promoted in April 2003 after John Butler died of cancer.

Schottenheimer tightened up the time frame a bit, saying: "In the last couple of years, there has been very little, if any, dialogue."

It's believed that the Smith-Schottenheimer stems from personnel moves by the GM, including allowing Drew Brees to leave as a free agent a year ago after the quarterback hurt his shoulder in the 2005 season finale.

"I have no idea," Schottenheimer said. "I've made inquiries about it on a number of occasions and he said, 'I don't want to talk about it."'

Spanos said in a statement that he had expected that the core of Schottenheimer's coaching staff would remain intact.

"Events of the last month have now convinced me that it is not possible for our organization to function at a championship level under the current structure," Spanos said in a statement. "On the contrary, and in the plainest possible language, we have a dysfunctional situation here. Today I am resolving that situation once and for all."

Defensive coordinator Wade Phillips was hired as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday. Offensive coordinator Cam Cameron was hired as head coach of the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 19.

Tight ends coach Rob Chudzinski became Cleveland's offensive coordinator, and linebackers coach Greg Manusky was hired as San Francisco's defensive coordinator.

Although Schottenheimer said last week that change was inevitable, Smith sounded concerned, saying, "Both in the same year -- Wow."

Although Schottenheimer was given the power to hire and fire assistants, neither Spanos nor Smith provided specifics of the "untentable situation" during a conference call.

"We both wanted to win a world championship very badly," Smith said. "It's just that my approach might have been a little different than his."

Spanos said disagreements over future staffing was "part of it. It's more the actual working relationship that's been difficult."

Running backs coach Clarence Shelmon, who's never been a coordinator, was promoted to replace Cameron. Shelmon accepted only a one-year contract due to what had been Schottenheimer's lame-duck status.

Three days after the 24-21 playoff loss to New England, Schottenheimer declined the team's offer of a $4.5 million, one-year extension through 2008, which came with a club-option $1 million buyout.