Al Saunders’ Future Is Still Up in the Air

SAN DIEGO — If the rumors that have been swirling around the Chargers this past weekend turn out to be true, Al Saunders will have his tough day today.

Sunday, the day was tougher for Alex Spanos, the Chargers’ owner, and Steve Ortmayer, the team’s director of football operations.

Spanos, according to Ortmayer, wasn’t feeling well, and that was the reason he failed to attend a Charger home game for the first time this season.

Ortmayer, meanwhile, wasn’t feeling too chipper himself after the Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 24-13, in a game that may or may not have been Saunders’ last as head coach.

Published reports have said Saunders will be fired today. And, after Sunday’s game, a reporter approached Ortmayer after he left Spanos’ box and asked him about that possibility.

“I have nothing to say about that,” Ortmayer said.

But, he had more to say.

“Actually, I don’t appreciate you approaching me like this after a game,” he continued. “If you want to talk about (the) Kansas City (game), we’ll talk about Kansas City. I don’t know if this was an important game in your life, but it was an important game in my life.”

Ortmayer, who normally visits Charger practices but hasn’t since Wednesday, and who normally visits the Charger locker room after games but didn’t Sunday, then walked away.

Earlier, Ortmayer had said he talked with Spanos before Sunday’s game but that Saunders’ name had not come up. Ortmayer also said he did not know if Spanos would be coming to San Diego any time in the near future to deal with Saunders’ situation.

“He comes when he comes,” Ortmayer said.

Dean Spanos, the Chargers’ vice chairman, was sitting in his father’s box at the stadium Sunday, but he, too, denied knowing anything about Saunders’ future.

“I’m not sure what’s going to happen,” he said. “I talked to my father during the game and I was giving him a blow-by-blow (account) of what was going on.

“I don’t expect that he’ll be in town tonight (Sunday). I really would have no idea when he’s coming back here.”

The question surrounding Saunders, of course, is will he be back at all?