San Diego Chargers’ OC Clarence Shelmon calls an end to career – NFL News Update
Offensive coordinator for the San Diego Chargers, Clarence Shelmon will not be returning to the team for the upcoming 2012 National Football League (NFL) season, the franchise announced on Tuesday night, January 10, 2012.
Shelmon who spent ten years with the Chargers decided that there are other things that he wants to do apart from just coaching.
"I'm just done. You know when it's time,” Shelmon said, adding that it was time for him to go and do other things in life.
Shelmon had taken over as the team’s offensive coordinator back in 2007 and played his part in polishing many key players of the team, including Ryan Mathews, Mike Tolbert, Darren Sproles and Michael Turner.
He had also trained quarterback, Philip Rivers, during his tenure.
In his presence, Chargers’ offense took a new turn that saw them score an average of 26.9 points per game and landing the fourth place in the league.
During Shelmon’s ten-year stay with the team, Chargers made it to the playoffs five times, which Shelmon was certainly proud to have achieved.
Shelmon helped a team that was struggling at 1-15 in 2000 to an 8-8 ending in 2002. Since then, the team kept improving further year by year and that included reaching the playoffs.
“We changed the culture here. I’ve seen the team get better and better. We were able to be one of the better teams running the ball,” Shelmon said.
Chargers’ head coach, Norv Turner, remembered his offensive coordinators with whom he had a great time.
"Clarence was a big part of five AFC West championship teams and three playoff wins in San Diego. His dedication to this team goes back a long time and he’s had a positive effect on the many players he coached during his tenure here," Turner said.
Shelmon had a football coaching career that lasted for 37 years out of which he spent 21 years in the NFL.
Apart from training the Chargers team, Shelmon worked with many other great players during his time as a running backs coach from 1978-2006.
Some of the key players that Shelmon trained were Emmitt Smith, Chris Warren and LaDainian Tomlinson.
It is unclear as to what Shelmon would be doing in the future.
Some of the reports circulating suggest that he will not be staying in the NFL anymore.
While at present, he intends to travel around the world with his wife to Istanbul and South Africa, possibly being the destinations they would like to go to.
Though there are many other things Shelmon would like to do, yet it seems quite certain that he is retiring from NFL.
Earlier on, prior to Shelmon’s resignation, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky was fired on Thursday.
Manusky was replaced with linebackers' coach, John Pagano. However, such a possibility did not seem to be true in the case of Shelmon.
Tags: