HEADLINES

Nick Hardwick

Chargers Add Marc Trestman, Others To Coaching Staff

February 14th, 2024 at 4:10pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Chargers announced on Wednesday that a number of additions have been made to Jim Harbaugh‘s staff. Many have already been reported, but others include a few notable names.

Marc Trestman has been added as a senior offensive assistant. This marks his first NFL coaching opportunity since his run as offensive coordinator of the Ravens came to an end. Baltimore fired Trestman midway through the 2016 campaign, leading him to return to the Canadian Football League. Trestman coached the Toronto Argonauts in 2017-18, earning his second CFL Coach of the Year honor and third Grey Cup title in that span.

His return north of the border was followed by a one-year stint in the XFL as head coach of the Tampa Bay Vipers in 2020. Trestman has not coached since then, and he is far removed from his two-year run at the helm of the Bears. Still, the 68-year-old will offer considerable experience on the offensive side of the ball as the Chargers transition to a unit led by Greg Roman.

A familiar face is also among the new staffers set to join the Chargers. Los Angeles has hired former Pro Bowl center Nick Hardwick as an assistant O-line coach, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports. Hardwick spent his entire 11-year playing career with the (San Diego) Chargers, but this will be his first coaching position at the NFL level. He and Mike Devlin will aim to oversee improvement up front as part of the development of the team’s offense as a whole.

Chris O’Leary is also joining the Bolts as safeties coach, per the team’s announcement. O’Leary previously spent the past three years in the same role with Notre Dame, and he will join a number of staffers (including Harbaugh himself) in making the jump from the college to the pro level. This post will be O’Leary’s first in the NFL.

Other notable names on the new staff include Rick Minter, who has been brought on under the title of senior defensive analyst. He is the father of Jesse Minter, who as expected followed Harbaugh from Michigan to Los Angeles to become the team’s defensive coordinator. Dylan Roney – who has held a number of positions in the college ranks since graduating from Ferris State in 2018 – has been hired as a defensive assistant.

Those two will be joined on the defensive staff by Steve Clinkscale. The latter will take on the title of defensive backs coach. Clinkscale, 46, served under Harbaugh on Michigan’s staff beginning in 2021. He coached the Wolverines’ defensive backs during that time, while also working as co-defensive coordinator for the past two years. While a number of changes have been confirmed, continuity on special teams will be present on the 2024 staff. ST coordinator Ryan Ficken will remain in place, and the same will be the case for assistant Chris Gould. The latter (brother of veteran kicker Robbie Gould) has been in Los Angeles since 2022.

Nick Hardwick To Announce Retirement

February 2nd, 2015 at 4:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Longtime Chargers center Nick Hardwick has decided to call it a career, reports Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. According to Gehlken, Hardwick will announce his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday.

“I’m nervous about tomorrow just because it’s so final,” Hardwick told Gehlken. “To declare your intentions publicly and vocally, it’s so final. But I’m also really excited. It’s going to be a really good celebration of a fabulous career. I’ve had a lot of fun, and I learned a lot. That’s where I am now, reflecting what I took from it.”

Hardwick, 33, has served as San Diego’s starting center since being selected by the Chargers in the third round of the 2004 draft, the same year that the team added Philip Rivers. Although injuries wiped out a pair of seasons for Hardwick, along with a handful of games here and there, the veteran lineman has still logged 136 games (all starts) for the Chargers.

This past season, a neck injury forced Hardwick to the injured reserve list after Week 1, wiping out a streak of 67 consecutive starts. Considering he had already mulled the possibility of retiring a year ago, and had endured a neck injury in the past, it’s not surprising that the Purdue alum would decide to end his career at this point. Hardwick’s contract also expires this winter, so the Chargers won’t carry any cap hit on their books for him in 2015.

While Hardwick won’t leave any money on the club’s cap, his departure will leave a significant hole in the middle of the Chargers’ offensive line. With Hardwick retiring and left tackle King Dunlap eligible for free agency, that line will be a priority for San Diego this offseason.

Chargers Place Nick Hardwick On IR

September 10th, 2014 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Chargers have lost veteran center Nick Hardwick for the season, the team announced today in a press release. According to the club, the longtime Chargers center has been placed on injured reserve due to a neck injury. After starting 67 consecutive games for San Diego, Hardwick is still adjusting to the fact that he’ll miss the rest of the 2014 campaign.

“It’s hard and it’s still setting in,” Hardwick said. “I have a touch of shock I guess and I don’t really know how I feel right now. You’re programmed one way and through everything you’ve done you’ve always continued to push forward and push through to find ways to get on the field. Unfortunately for this season it’s not going to happen anymore.”

With Hardwick out of the lineup, San Diego is expected to turn to Rich Ohrnberger as its starting center. The club will also have an open spot on its 53-man roster, so a corresponding move will likely be announced soon.

As for Hardwick, who turns 33 this Friday, he had been in the last year of his contract, so it remains to be seen whether he’ll be back with the Chargers – or even playing in the NFL at all – next season. This isn’t the first neck injury for the former Pro Bowler, who would require medical clearance before returning to the field.

Nick Hardwick Plans On Being Back

February 22nd, 2014 at 5:31pm CST by Peter Sowards

Despite rumors to the contrary, Chargers center Nick Hardwick told Ricky Henne of Chargers.com that he has every intention of playing his 11th season.

“I plan on being back next year and giving them hell again,” Hardwick said. “I look forward to having fun with the guys, stirring up the city and doing some damage across the league.”

Hardwick said he never mentioned retirement and he just wanted to have some time to assess where he’s at and how he’s playing. Eric D. Williams, who covers the Chargers for ESPN, said Hardwick is in the final year of a three-year deal and is due to earn $4.4MM in total compensation.

Chargers GM Tom Telesco said yesterday that the team has been planning for Hardwick’s return, according to Michael Gehlken of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “We’re expecting him to play next year until told otherwise,” Telesco said. “Obviously, he’s a big part of the offensive line. A true team leader, a rock inside, and a guy we’d definitely love to have back.”

Gehlken also touched on receiver Malcom Floyd, who, like Hardwick, has spent the entirety of his 10-year career in San Diego. Floyd suffered a neck injury in September and his future is still undetermined.

AFC Notes: Dolphins, Colts, Chargers

February 21st, 2014 at 10:03pm CST by Ben Levine

Some information from around the American Football Conference…

  • The Dolphins are unlikely to offer the franchise tag to cornerback Brent Grimes, tweets Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. While many, including NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal, thought it was a given that Grimes would receive the tag, it appears the Dolphins don’t want to commit the $11.3MM figure it would take to automatically bring the 30-year-old back.
  • Colts general manager Ryan Grigson responded “yes” when asked if he would repeat the Trent Richardson deal, writes Nate Ulrich of Ohio.com. The Colts surrendered the 26th pick for Richardson, who ran for only 458 yards in 14 games for Indy.
  • The Chargers are still awaiting decisions from center Nick Hardwick and receiver Malcolm Floyd on whether the players will retire, writes Michael Gehlkin of the U-T San Diego. Hardwick just finished his tenth NFL campaign while Floyd’s season ended in September when he suffered a neck injury.
  • The Ravens met with a variety of offensive prospects at the NFL Combine. The team was scheduled to meet with running back Terrance West on Friday night, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. The Ravens’ running back depth may be in a bit of a bind, and there’s no denying West’s talent after he ran for 2,509 yards and 42 total touchdowns last season. Wilson also says that the Ravens met with running backs Carlos Hyde (Ohio State), Andre Williams (Boston College) and Ka’Deem Carey (Arizona).
  • The Ravens also met with receiver Kelvin Benjamin, says Wilson. The six-foot-five wideout from Florida State caught 15 touchdowns last season.