How the Chargers Will Look to Build 'Version 2.0' in the Hortiz & Harbaugh Era

Jan 15, 2025 at 03:50 PM

Omar Navarro

Jr. Writer

The Chargers flipped the page Wednesday at The Bolt.

A few days removed from the season coming to a close, Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz and Head Coach Jim Harbaugh's first year at helm did as well.

The duo's first season in Southern California saw a lot of high points, including a playoff berth in Year 1 — but as Harbaugh summed it up, now begins the mission to try and create something even better.

Or, as they both called it, 'Version 2.0.'

"We didn't achieve ultimate success that's reserved for the World Champion," Harbaugh said on Wednesday. "There's an after game, after loss mood that I feel.

"But so much good," Harbaugh added. "So much good to build on that creates a lot of excitement for me and Joe as we build Version 2.0."

Hortiz and Harbaugh took the podium in El Segundo on Wednesday for a 45-minute season-ending press conference, with the term 'Version 2.0' coming up quite a bit.

But what does it entail? What needs to improve to get there?

Well, just about everything.

"I'd say we're constantly chasing improvement and competition," Hortiz said. "I don't think you look at it from what specifically, you want to improve everything. You really do.

"If you focus in one area, you negate others," Hortiz added.

From the top down, Hortiz believes chasing constant improvement in all areas is the way they can get to the next version of this team they're looking for in Year 2.

"I think from a personnel perspective, from an organization perspective, you have to improve everything," Hortiz said. "That's the goal you set out every year as an organization and you attack it and move forward.

"That's adding more competition, that's improving the way we do things around the building, that's improving how I scout, how our staff scouts, how coaches how we develop," Hortiz added. "I think you always chase improvement. I don't really think you can put it in one area."

Harbaugh agreed with the general manager's sentiment, adding why it's necessary.

The overall season and everything within it led to a playoff berth and 11 wins — now it's about constant improvement on the little things that will push the Bolts over the top.

"It's taking all the good, good, good and adding to it. I've never been one of those glasses half-empty, half-full, [people]" Harbaugh said. "If it's good, you add to it. It's a thousand little things that add up to make up all the difference.

"We were close, now we want to put it over the top," Harbaugh added. "Things that people think are the minutia, that don't really matter, it's all the little things that add up to make all the difference."

That includes the coaching staff, as both added they don't expect any changes there.

Both Harbaugh and Hortiz praised the staff for their work over the season, pointing to how they saw every player on the roster improve because of it.

Now with a full offseason with the staff in-house, they look to improve in that avenue as well.

"We're excited about that very thing with the coaching staff. We're all coming back and excited about that to help build Version 2.0," Harbaugh said. "As far as coaching, it was good. We improved. But anything you're going to be talking about last year, is last year.

"We did better, but now that's over," Harbaugh added. "Now we want to build, build, build, be better, better, better starting this day going forward."