The Chargers’ offense is under a microscope, and the whispers around Mike McDaniel are getting louder.
According to Pro Football Talk, there’s growing buzz in league circles that Los Angeles will move on from its offensive coordinator soon. The timing matters, too: the team is heading into its bye week, giving the coaching staff room to sort through a potential change if that’s the path they choose.
The latest jolt came in a loss to the Chiefs that pushed the Chargers to 0-6. The offense could only scrape together six points, a flat showing for a unit that has struggled to find much traction all season.
PFT also reports that senior offensive assistant Adam Gase would be the leading candidate to take over on an interim basis, which lines up with the chatter from earlier this week.
Gase joined the Chargers this offseason after spending five years out of the NFL following his dismissal as the Jets’ head coach. Before that, he had served as a play-caller for multiple teams.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was asked whether McDaniel would still be calling plays when the team returns from its bye two weeks from now.
“We’re going to look at everything,” he said via ESPN’s Anthony Gharib. “The job I’m doing, it starts with me.
The plan is we’ll watch this and get with our offensive coaches. … [Offense] Needs to be addressed.”
McDaniel, 42, began his coaching career in 2005 as an intern with the Broncos. From 2006-2016, he worked as an offensive assistant and wide receivers coach for Houston, Washington, Cleveland, and Atlanta before joining the 49ers in 2017 as run game coordinator.
He stayed in that role through 2020, then served as San Francisco’s offensive coordinator in 2021. The Dolphins hired him in 2022 and gave him a four-year deal. Miami fired him after the 2025 season.
The Chargers brought McDaniel in as offensive coordinator ahead of the 2026 season.
In four years with the Dolphins, McDaniel went 35-33 (.515 winning percentage) and made two playoff appearances. This season, the Chargers sit No. 30 in scoring offense and No. 25 in total offense, with the passing game ranked No. 30 and the rushing attack at No. 9.
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Chargers Offensive Collapse Is Fueling A Bigger Justin Herbert Debate
The Chargers 0-6 start has put a harsh spotlight on an offense that has struggled to find any real rhythm, and the frustration goes beyond the scoreboard. Under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel, the unit has looked out of sync in ways that have revived familiar questions about how well the scheme fits Justin Herbert, especially with protection issues up front and play calling that has left too much to sort out in real time.
All the while, the defense has done enough to keep the team from looking completely lost, which only sharpens the contrast on a side of the ball that was supposed to drive this season. With the offense still searching for answers and the losses piling up, the bigger conversation now includes whether a coaching change is coming before the disconnect gets even harder to ignore. [Read more 🡒]
Travis Kelce's Injury Leaves Chiefs Fans Watching One Big Concern
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Andy Reid confirmed afterward that Kelce played through an ankle issue, though he stopped short of saying how serious it was. Former NFL team doctor David Chao, viewing the injury on video, suggested it looked like a mild right high eversion ankle sprain, leaving the Chiefs with at least some immediate optimism and one lingering question about how long it might affect one of Patrick Mahomes most trusted targets. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Hit Bye Week With One Problem They Cant Ignore
The bye week arrived with the Chargers carrying far more frustration than relief after another loss to Kansas City. What stood out in the defeat was the gap between how the two sides of the ball performed. The defense did enough to keep the game from getting away, with Cam Hart's interception helping limit the Chiefs inside the red zone, while Quentin Johnston provided one of the few offensive sparks with a 57-yard catch.
Still, the bigger concern is impossible to miss heading into the break. The offense reached scoring position more than once and never found the end zone, leaving the Chargers searching for answers as they try to turn things around after a start they had not seen in a quarter century. Even with the defense showing some fight, the season's direction will be defined by whether the team can fix the problem that keeps showing up in the most important moments. [Read more 🡒]