[vincesanity82]

After finishing 14-2 last season, Smith "Billicked" Marty Schottenheimer last spring. And hired Norvell Turner, one of the worst NFL head coaches to have more than three shots at the job. Which explains why the 1-3 record didn't come as much of a surprise to anybody, although it made Chargers fan plenty irate.

But a funny thing happened on the way to another Turner-led losing season: San Diego went on a 10-2 run, won the division, and will host the Titans this weekend in the wild-card round. And oh, yeah, Smith got a new deal out of it:

A.J. Smith yesterday signed a five-year contract extension through 2014, believed to be the third-richest and the longest pact among the league's general managers.

"The rewarding thing for me is . . . the fact that he wants me to continue with him into the future," Smith said, referring to team President Dean Spanos. "He obviously must be comfortable."

Chargers' General Manager A.J. Smith Will Be Around Until at Least 2014 - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog