The Los Angeles Chargers are eyeing a major shake-up on the offensive side of the ball, and it could come in the form of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel stepping in as their new offensive coordinator.
McDaniel, who was let go by the Dolphins earlier this month after four seasons at the helm, is still in the mix for head coaching jobs with the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders. But if those opportunities don’t pan out, all signs point to him joining Jim Harbaugh’s staff in L.A. - a potentially intriguing pairing of two very different football minds.
The Chargers have made the playoffs in both of Harbaugh’s seasons, but they haven’t been able to make it past the wild-card round. Their most recent postseason appearance was especially rough: an 11-6 regular season ended with a thud in a 3-point showing against the New England Patriots. That offensive letdown led to the firing of Greg Roman, who had spent two seasons as the team's OC.
Enter McDaniel - a coach known for his creative offensive schemes and ability to get the most out of his quarterbacks. If he takes the job, he’ll become the fifth offensive coordinator Justin Herbert has worked with since being drafted in 2020. That’s a lot of turnover for a young quarterback, but McDaniel could bring some much-needed stability and innovation to the role.
McDaniel’s name has been circulating around the league this offseason. He’s reportedly drawn interest for offensive coordinator openings in Philadelphia and Tampa Bay, and earlier this week, he pulled himself out of the Cleveland Browns’ head coaching search. It’s clear teams still see his offensive acumen as a valuable asset, even after a rocky finish in Miami.
His time with the Dolphins started off strong, highlighted by back-to-back playoff appearances. But over the past two seasons, things took a turn - Miami went just 15-19 during that stretch, leading to his dismissal. The Dolphins have since brought in Jeff Hafley, formerly Green Bay’s defensive coordinator, to take over.
McDaniel, 42, made his name as the offensive coordinator in San Francisco in 2021 before taking the top job in Miami. Now, he might be heading back to a coordinator role - this time with another talented 2020 first-round quarterback in Herbert. The two-time Pro Bowler has already made NFL history with the most passing yards through a player’s first three seasons, but like Tua Tagovailoa in Miami, Herbert is still chasing that elusive first playoff win.
If McDaniel does land in Los Angeles, his challenge will be clear: unlock Herbert’s full potential and finally help the Chargers turn regular-season promise into postseason success.