Is Chargers Coach Ryan Ficken on the Hot Seat?

The Los Angeles Chargers have plenty of problems right now. The offense has struggled to find consistency, the defense has had its own issues and the team is sitting at 0-4 after Sunday’s 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks.

But one problem has been around for much longer than the 2026 season.

The Chargers’ special teams continue to be a major weakness, and at this point, it is fair to wonder if special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken should be on the hot seat.

Sunday was another atrocious performance from a unit that simply cannot afford to keep making the same mistakes. The Chargers had a punt return muffed by Derius Davis that Seattle recovered, giving the Seahawks an extra possession and another opportunity to put points on the board. It was one of several mistakes that contributed to the Chargers falling behind early.

That is not an isolated incident, either.

The special teams have been inconsistent for a while, and the Chargers have continued to struggle with field position, returns and overall execution. When a team is already having trouble putting together complete games, giving opponents additional opportunities or failing to create positive plays on special teams makes everything that much harder.

Ficken deserves credit for what he accomplished when he first took over the unit. There was a time when the Chargers’ special teams looked like one of the more improved groups on the roster. Ficken was brought in with a strong reputation and quickly earned praise for the way he coached the unit.

But this is now Year 5 with the Chargers.

At some point, past success stops being enough.

The biggest question is whether the Chargers can continue defending the current state of their special teams simply because Ficken has been successful in the past. The team has made changes to personnel, but the same types of problems continue to show up. That puts more responsibility on the coaching staff to find a solution.

The Derius Davis situation is particularly frustrating. The Chargers have continued to trust him as their returner despite the volatility that comes with putting the football in his hands. Sunday was another reminder of how quickly a special teams mistake can change the momentum of a game.

And now the Chargers are 0-4.

There are certainly bigger issues facing this team, and firing Ficken would not suddenly fix everything. But the special teams cannot continue being a liability every week and simply be treated as a minor problem.

At some point, somebody has to be held accountable.

The Chargers have playoff aspirations every year, and teams with those expectations cannot consistently lose the hidden-yardage battle because of poor special teams execution.

Ficken may not be fired tomorrow, and he probably should not be blamed for every mistake that happens on the field. But after another ugly performance, the question is becoming unavoidable.

Is Ryan Ficken on the hot seat?

If the special teams continue performing like this, it is going to be very difficult for the Chargers to justify keeping things exactly as they are.