Tom Telesco

Last updated

Tom Telesco
Las Vegas Raiders
Position: General manager
Personal information
Born: (1972-12-12) December 12, 1972 (age 51)
Buffalo, New York, U.S.
Career information
College: John Carroll (1991–1994)
Career history
As an executive:

Tom Telesco (born December 12, 1972) is an American football executive who is the general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the general manager of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2013 to 2023.

Contents

Telesco began his career as an intern for the Buffalo Bills from 1991 to 1994, a scout for the Carolina Panthers from 1995 to 1997 and was also in various positions with the Indianapolis Colts from 1998 to 2012, the last six years of which he was the team's director of player personnel and vice president of football operations.

Early life and education

Tom Telesco grew up in Hamburg, New York and attended St. Francis High School, where he graduated in 1991.

College career

Telesco played wide receiver at John Carroll University in Ohio and he was a starter for the school's football team in the Ohio Athletic Conference where he won the championship with the school team in 1994. He graduated in 1995 with a degree and a Bachelor of Business Management. [1]

Executive career

Early career

Telesco worked as a college summer intern for the Buffalo Bills (1991–94). [2] In 1995, Telesco began his NFL career as a scouting assistant for the Carolina Panthers. He served in that role for two seasons before becoming an area scout in 1997.

Indianapolis Colts

Telesco joined the Colts as an area scout from 1998 to 2000. He served as a pro scout from 2001 to 2003 before being elevated to the team's director of pro scouting (2004–05). At the conclusion of the 2005 campaign, Telesco moved into the director of player personnel role. [3]

Telesco's tenure with the Colts was one of the most successful eras of the franchise's history and his arrival in 1998 also coincided with the beginning and end of the Peyton Manning era. From 1998 to 2012, the Colts went 154–86 and appeared in the playoffs 12 times, winning eight division titles, while finishing second four times. Those 12 postseason appearances included a victory over Chicago in Super Bowl XLI following the 2006 season and a loss to New Orleans in Super Bowl XLIV after the 2009 season. Indianapolis’ 154 wins from 1998 to 2012 were the second-most in the NFL during that span after New England's 168 wins.

San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers

On January 9, 2013, Chargers President Dean Spanos chose Tom Telesco as the team's new general manager. Telesco was hired after long time Chargers general manager A. J. Smith was fired in 2013. He inherited a team that had not made the playoffs since 2009 and been underachieving due to injuries and poor depth. [4] At 40 years old, Telesco became the youngest general manager in Chargers history and one of the youngest general managers in the NFL. [5] The new GM said the Chargers will be a draft-driven organization that will use free agents to supplement the roster. [1] He was fired on December 15, 2023, after 11 years with the team, along with coach Brandon Staley, following a lopsided loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, which ended in a 63-21 defeat. [6]

Las Vegas Raiders

On January 23, 2024, Telesco was named general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders. [7]

Personal life

Telesco is married to Larah, and they have three children. [8] Telesco is a friend of David Caldwell, who served as the general manager for the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2020. The two knew each other from their days at St. Francis High School, John Carroll University as well as when they were Colts executives. When he was playing for the Blue Streaks football team he was also teammates with Chris Polian and Greg Roman. The 1995 squad also included Josh McDaniels, Nick Caserio and London Fletcher. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Las Vegas Raiders</span> National Football League franchise in Paradise, Nevada

The Las Vegas Raiders are a professional American football team based in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. The Raiders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The club plays its home games at Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada, and is headquartered in Henderson, Nevada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles Chargers</span> National Football League team in Inglewood, California

The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team plays its home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which it shares with the Los Angeles Rams.

Ronald Wolf is an American former football executive who was a general manager (GM) of the National Football League (NFL)'s Green Bay Packers. Wolf is widely credited with bringing success to a Packers franchise that had rarely won during the two decades prior to Wolf joining the organization. He also played a significant role in personnel operations with the Oakland and Los Angeles Raiders from 1963 to 1975 and again from 1978 to 1990. He joined Green Bay's front office in November 1991 from a personnel director's job with the New York Jets. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh McDaniels</span> American football coach

Joshua Thomas McDaniels is an American football coach in the National Football League (NFL). He began his NFL career in 2001 with the New England Patriots, where he served as the offensive coordinator for 14 non-consecutive seasons. During McDaniels' first stint as offensive coordinator from 2006 to 2008, New England set the season record for points scored and won 16 of their 16 regular season games in 2007. In his second stint from 2012 to 2021, the Patriots won three Super Bowl titles. McDaniels was also among the Patriots personnel to be present for all six of their titles during the Brady–Belichick era.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Raiders</span> Former professional American football team

The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raiders. Between 1982 and 1994, the team played in Los Angeles as the Los Angeles Raiders.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gus Bradley</span> American football coach and former player (born 1966)

Paul Casey "Gus" Bradley is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He came to prominence as the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks from 2009 to 2012, where he was the original playcaller of the team's Legion of Boom secondary. Bradley later served as the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2016. Following his dismissal from Jacksonville, he returned to assistant coaching and became the Colts' defensive coordinator in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keenan Allen</span> American football player (born 1992)

Keenan Alexander Allen is an American football wide receiver for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the California Golden Bears before leaving after his junior year. He was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft.

The John Carroll Blue Streaks football program is the intercollegiate American football team for John Carroll University located in the U.S. state of Ohio. They compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) at the Division III level and are members of the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC). The team was established in 1920 and plays its home games at the 5,416 seat Don Shula Stadium. As of the 2016 season, John Carroll has won 11 Conference titles, 4 in their current conference, the OAC. Drew Nystrom serves as the interim head football coach. During the 2022 season, John Carroll will celebrate its 100th season of football.

David Caldwell is an American football executive who is a personnel executive for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the general manager of the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2013 to 2020. Prior to that, he worked for the Carolina Panthers, Indianapolis Colts, and Atlanta Falcons.

The Chargers–Raiders rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders that has transcended two leagues and a combined five relocations. Since debuting in the inaugural AFL season, in 1960, as the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFL Western Conference, both teams joined the AFC West in 1970 under the AFL–NFL merger.

The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team that currently plays and competes in the National Football League (NFL). The Chargers were established in 1960 and played one season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego in 1961. The team returned to Los Angeles in 2017.

Brandon Lamar Facyson is an American football cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roderic Teamer</span> American football player (born 1997)

Roderic Fitzgerald Teamer Jr. is an American football safety who is a free agent. He played college football at Tulane.

Brandon John Staley is an American football coach who is the assistant head coach for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers from 2021 to 2023, defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2020, and also served as an assistant coach for the Denver Broncos and Chicago Bears.

Anthony "Champ" Kelly is an American football executive who is the assistant general manager for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the assistant director of player personnel for the Chicago Bears from 2017 to 2021 and the director of pro scouting from 2015 to 2016. Before joining the Bears in 2015, Kelly was a member of the Denver Broncos staff and was with the Lexington Horsemen of the United Indoor Football (UIF) as general manager, coach, and player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Las Vegas Raiders season</span> 63rd season in franchise history

The 2022 season was the Las Vegas Raiders' 53rd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 63rd overall, their third in Las Vegas and their first under the head coach/general manager tandem of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler.

David Ziegler is an American football executive who currently serves as an advisor for the New Orleans Saints. He began his career as a scout for the Denver Broncos in the early 2010s before becoming a senior personnel executive for the New England Patriots. Ziegler also worked two seasons as general manager of the Las Vegas Raiders in the early 2020s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Las Vegas Raiders season</span> 64th season in franchise history

The 2023 season was the Las Vegas Raiders' 54th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 64th overall, their fourth in Las Vegas, and their second and final under the head coach/general manager tandem of Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler. On October 31, following a Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions, the Raiders fired McDaniels and Ziegler. The Raiders named linebackers coach Antonio Pierce interim head coach, and assistant general manager Champ Kelly interim general manager. Following the season, the team named Antonio Pierce the full-time head coach after the team finished the season with a record of 5–4 under Pierce.

The 2024 season will be the Las Vegas Raiders' upcoming 55th season in the National Football League, their 65th overall, their fifth in Las Vegas and their first full season under head coach Antonio Pierce and their first with general manager Tom Telesco. They will attempt to improve on their 8–9 record from last year, make the playoffs after a two-year absence, and end their 21-year AFC West title drought.

Edward Lewis "JoJo" Wooden is an American football executive who is the senior director of player personnel for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Syracuse Orangemen and had a stint with the Phoenix Cardinals in 1993. Wooden then spent several years as a coach before joining the New York Jets in a scouting position. After 16 years with the Jets, he joined the Chargers in 2013 as director of player personnel. Wooden served the end of the 2023 season as interim general manager after the firing of Tom Telesco.

References

  1. 1 2 "San Diego Chargers: Tom Telesco". Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  2. ↑ "Professional Sports Representation, Inc". PSR, Inc. December 12, 1972. Archived from the original on January 13, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  3. ↑ Henne, Ricky (February 5, 2012). "San Diego Chargers: Tom Telesco". Chargers.com. Archived from the original on January 20, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Stats, History, Awards and More". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved January 15, 2008.
  5. ↑ "Tom Telesco named new GM | AztecMesa".
  6. ↑ "Chargers Part Ways with Head Coach Brandon Staley and General Manager Tom Telesco". Chargers.com. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Raiders name Tom Telesco General Manager". Raiders.com. January 23, 2024. Retrieved January 23, 2024.
  8. ↑ Shrestha, Suyash (December 22, 2023). "Tom Telesco Wife Larah: Married Life And Kids". Players Bio. Retrieved December 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Telesco improving the Chargers off the field". August 11, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.