5 Things to Know About Chargers Interim GM JoJo Wooden

Dec 15, 2023 at 12:27 PM

Omar Navarro

Jr. Writer

The Los Angeles Chargers on Friday parted ways with Brandon Staley and Tom Telesco.

JoJo Wooden will serve as the Chargers Interim General Manager.

Here are five things to know about Wooden:

1. Time with the Bolts

Wooden has been with the Chargers as the Director of Player Personnel since 2013, overseeing both the team's college and pro scouting departments.

His job included helping run the draft as well as the NFL's free agency period.

2. Previous NFL experience

Before joining the Bolts, Wooden spent 16 seasons with the New York Jets, beginning in 1997 as a pro personnel assistant. He served in that position until 1999, when he became a pro scout.

Wooden would work his way up to senior AFC pro scout in 2001 and eventually to assistant director of pro scouting in 2003, before eventually become the director of pro scouting for the Jets from 2004-2006.

And in his final six seasons with the Jets, he held the position of New York's Assistant Director of Player Personnel before ultimately coming to the Chargers.

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The Los Angeles Chargers 2023 Draft Room is photographed on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, CA.

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice on Wednesday, September 20, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the New York Jets on Monday, November 6, 2023 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - NYJ 6]

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers 2023 Draft Room is photographed on Thursday, April 27, 2023 at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles, CA.

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, November 26, 2023 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA. [FINAL SCORE: BAL 20 - LAC 10]

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Emma Doherty/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice on Thursday, November 30, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice at Training Camp on Friday, August 4, 2023 at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. [FINAL SCORE: KC 31 - LAC 17]

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice on Friday, November 3, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Emma Doherty/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice at Training Camp on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the New York Jets on Monday, November 6, 2023 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 27 - NYJ 6]

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. [FINAL SCORE: KC 31 - LAC 17]

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the San Francisco 49ers on Friday, August 25, 2023 at Levis Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 23 - SF 12]

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, September 24, 2023 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN. [FINAL SCORE: LAC 28 - MIN 24]

(Ty Nowell/ Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers hold Rookie Mini-Camp on Friday, May 12, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, October 22, 2023 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. [FINAL SCORE: KC 31 - LAC 17]

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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Chargers legends meet with the team following practice on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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Chargers legends meet with the team following practice on Saturday, October 22, 2022 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice at Training Camp on Monday, August 14, 2023 at Jack Hammett Sports Complex in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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The Los Angeles Chargers practice on Thursday, September 7, 2023 at Hoag Performance Center in Costa Mesa, CA.

(Mike Nowak/Los Angeles Chargers)

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3. NFL's Accelerator Program

Wooden was recently present at the NFL's Front Office & General Manager Accelerator Program as the Chargers representative at the League Meeting in Dallas.

It was his third time attending the program's event since its launch in 2022, as he was nominated by the club and then vetted by an NFL selection committee with people from across player personnel, football operations and assistant general manager disciplines for the opportunity to build relationships with club owners and executives ahead of the hiring cycle.

4. College playing career

Prior to starting his NFL front office career, Wooden was an outside linebacker at Syracuse from 1989-1992. He redshirted his first year and played 46 games during his career with the Orangemen.

Syracuse would go on to play in five bowl games during his time with the team, and Wooden started his final two years at Syracuse in which the school posted back-to-back 10-2 seasons and finished ranked in the Top 10.

After graduating from Syracuse, Wooden would spend training camp with the Cardinals in 1993.

5. Family in NFL

During Wooden's time at Syracuse, he got to play with his older brother, Terry, who would go on to be a second-round pick in the 1990 NFL Draft.

Terry would play nine seasons in the NFL and now has been with the Saints since 2007, currently holding the position of a National Scout in New Orleans.