Henning Gains Two Assistants : Chargers Add Tollner, Joe Madden, but Lose Rhome to Cowboys
Charger head coach Dan Henning gained two assistant coaches and lost one Monday.
The Chargers announced the additions of Ted Tollner, who will work with quarterbacks, and Joe Madden, who replaces Wayne Sevier as special-teams coach.
Jerry Rhome, the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in 1988, is leaving to be quarterbacks coach for the Dallas Cowboys next season.
Tollner, 48, was the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at San Diego State from 1973-1980, head coach at USC from 1983-1986 and receivers coach at Buffalo the past two years.
“Ted developed some of the top quarterbacks to come out of college over a long period,” Henning said in a statement. “He also has administrative ability from having been a head coach at one of the top college programs in the country. Now, with two years’ background in the NFL on a team that went from mediocrity to the playoffs, it’s natural for him to move up.”
Madden, 53, has been in private business for the past two years. He worked for Henning in an administrative capacity in 1985 and 1986 and was special-teams coach for the Detroit Lions from 1980-1984.
“I am familiar with Joe,” Henning said. “He worked for me in charge of advance research on opponents, with special teams and offensive line, and in pro personnel evaluation. Prior to that, Joe coached five years with the Lions and was well thought of by his peers. I was determined to get a guy in that position who had coached special teams in the league.”
Rhome, 46, leaves after a year in which the Chargers finished 26th in the NFL in total offense. He returns to Dallas, his hometown and the town in which his NFL career began.
“They offered me the position, and I talked with the Chargers,” Rhome said. “After talking with the Chargers, I felt this would be the direction to go.
“I started my career as a player under Coach (Tom) Landry, and to coach with him is too good an opportunity to pass up. I’m from Dallas and my father, who’s 83 years old, is still there. There are just so many things.”
Rhome and Henning worked together in Washington in 1987, a season that resulted in a Super Bowl title for the Redskins.
“Dan and I have no problems working together,” Rhome said. “It’s simply me having a chance to go to Dallas and Dan having a chance to run his own offense.
“I have no regrets about being in San Diego for a year. I have no hard feelings in leaving.”
Defensive coordinator Ron Lynn agreed last Thursday to Henning’s request that he stay. Henning also has decided to retain assistants Gunther Cunningham (defensive line coach), Mike Haluchak (linebackers), Charlie Joiner (receivers) and Bobby Jackson (running backs).