The Brilliant Career of Tom Telesco
The Los Angeles Chargers have one of the most promising rosters in the NFL. The main reason why they have so much talent is due to the dedicated work of their general manager Tom Telesco. Unfortunately, his accomplishments are often overshadowed by the play of the players on his roster and the accomplishments of the team he has built. With the many great general managers in the NFL being praised for their accomplishments, Telesco has never been given his just due.
Early Career
He began his career while still in college as a training camp intern with the Buffalo Bills. Their general manager at the time was Hall of Famer Bill Polian. After graduating from college, Telesco was hired by Polian to work in the scouting department when he moved to the expansion Carolina Panthers. Telesco followed Polian to Indianapolis in 1998 and continued his rise from college scout, pro scout, director of pro scouting, director of player personnel and vice president of football operations. He spent 15 years with the Colts and was hired by the Chargers in 2013.
The Chargers
One of his first moves as general manager of the Chargers was to draft wide receiver Keenan Allen who then proceeded to win the PFWA Offensive NFL Rookie of the Year Award. He has been invited to two Pro Bowls during his career.
Telesco has also drafted star players such as Joey Bosa, Jason Verrett, and Melvin Ingram. Each player has been invited to at least one Pro Bowl while with the Chargers.
He has also brought in a number of free agents over the years. His first year saw him sign cornerback Derek Cox, running back Danny Woodhead and defensive end Dwight Freeney. Telesco was relatively quiet in the 2014 offseason but he did manage to pick up cornerback Brandon Flowers who had just finished a Pro Bowl season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
He decided to rebuild a struggling offensive line in 2015 and found tackle Joseph Barksdale and guard Orlando Franklin to solve that particular issue. He added Travis Benjamin, Brandon Mebane, and Casey Hayward to the roster in 2016.
The following year was the Charger’s first year back in Los Angeles since their founding in 1960. They claimed Hayes Pullard off waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars in hopes of bolstering a weak linebacker core. They also signed left tackle Russell Okung to a four-year deal.
Their second season in Los Angeles brought hope and optimism for the future. Telesco signed center Mike Pouncey to give his offensive line some much-needed leadership.
Building for the Future
Looking at Telesco’s record with the Chargers, it is clear that he has been on a roller coaster with the team since the beginning. He started off brilliantly by building a playoff team his first year. He struggled in the next few years to build a contender through free agency and the draft. They were finally able to get back into the playoffs last season through hard work and the building of a talented roster. The 2019 season brings more challenges as the Kansas City Chiefs hope to improve from last year’s success and the Oakland Raiders have added some big names to their roster.
If history has taught us anything, it is that Tom Telesco will not stand idly by while the rest of the division improves around him. He has already added linebacker Thomas Davis and quarterback Tyrod Taylor to the roster. He also resigned Adrian Phillips, Brandon Mebane, and Denzel Perryman. Telesco is building this team to win now and it appears that he is doing a fine job for the near future.