The San Diego Chargers hired Norv Turner as head coach on Monday.

It is the third head coaching job for Turner, who spent last season as the offensive co-ordinator for the San Francisco 49ers.

Norv Turner toiled as the offensive coordinator for the Niners last year.
(David Paul Morris/Getty Images)

Turner replaces Marty Schottenheimer, who was fired last Monday.

"He is, without a doubt, the right choice for this position," Chargers president Dean Spanos said.

Turner is 58-82-1 in nine seasons as an NFL head coach, seven with the Washington Washington and two for the Oakland Raiders.

He served as San Diego's offensive co-ordinator under then-head coach Mike Riley in 2001.

"We want to keep the offensive philosophy in place," Turner said. "Come next season, we are going to hit the ground running."

"Norv is a perfect fit for our team," Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson said. "He'll know exactly what to do with our team."

Turner went 49-59-1 as head coach of the Redskins before being fired; he was a dismal 9-23 with the Raiders. 

"Both of those teams were prominently made up of older, veteran players [and] this is the complete opposite circumstance," he said. "This team is near the top on both sides of the ball."

Inherits a 14-2 team

Turner, who also toiled as offensive co-ordinator of the Dallas Cowboys and Miami Dolphins, inherits a Chargers team that went an NFL-best 14-2 last season, but suffered a meltdown in a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots in the divisional playoffs.

"This isn't a team where you're rebuilding," Turner said. "We should start fast.

"We should be good early and we should be good late. Not having to go through the normal things you have to go through when you make a coaching change is going to help the players more than anyone."

"There's only one thing we have to do this year and that's get back in the playoffs — just get to the post-season and win the first game is our goal," Spanos said. "And then, I think, we're off to a good start."

Turner was chosen as Schottenheimer's replacement over former Chicago Bears defensive co-ordinator Ron Rivera, 49ers assistant Mike Singletary, Baltimore Ravens defensive co-ordinator Rex Ryan, New Orleans Saints defensive co-ordinator Gary Gibbs as well as Atlanta Falcons defensive co-ordinator Mike Zimmer.

Turner wasted no time making an impact with San Diego, luring former Minnesota Vikings assistant coach Ted Cottrell out of retirement as defensive co-ordinator and hiring Rivera as linebackers coach.

With files from Sports Network