The Chargers fell to 0-4 on the season after a loss to the Seahawks, and questions continue to swirl around Jim Harbaugh and his staff. The Chargers surged late, but their comeback ultimately fell short in a 30-23 loss in Seattle. Once again, the Chargers’ offense didn’t take advantage after the defense made several key plays, creating four turnovers, including a muffed punt. After starting historically poorly in the first half, Justin Herbert led the team in a late comeback that left fans with a silver lining.
It can be argued that the Chargers are 0-4 for a multitude of reasons. However, the “offensive guru” Mike McDaniel, who was brought in this offseason, has brought no improvement to the Chargers’ offense. This raises the question: Should Mike McDaniel be fired?
The Greg Roman Departure
On Jan. 13, 2026, the Los Angeles Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman. Per Grant Gordon at NFL.com, the Chargers also let go of offensive line coach Mike Devlin. While Roman was cursed with plenty of injuries, his offense ranked 20th in points scored. After another subpar performance in the 2025 Wild-Card round, in which the Chargers fell 16-3 to the New England Patriots, Harbaugh was asked if Roman was the right play-caller moving forward.
“Right now, I don’t have the answers,” Harbaugh said via Kevin Patra at NFL.com. “We’re going to look at that, at everything. It really falls on me that we wasn’t at our best tonight. I don’t have the answers. I wish I did. We’ll work hard. It’ll be a new beginning.”
It didn’t take long for Harbaugh to come to a decision, firing Greg Roman just two days later.
The Mike McDaniel Acquisition
The Chargers officially hired Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator on Jan. 26, 2026, roughly two weeks after firing Roman. Touted as one of the most creative minds in football, McDaniel joined Los Angeles after he led the Miami Dolphins unit to top 10 ranks in both passing offense and total offense over his four-year tenure as head coach.
McDaniel had demonstrated his ability to build an elite offense, and pairing him with quarterback Justin Herbert piqued the interest of analysts everywhere.
Offseason Hype Meets Reality
After four weeks, the Chargers have one of the NFL’s worst offenses. They are ranked 29th in scoring, ahead of only the Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins, per teamrankings.com. Herbert has thrown six interceptions, tied for second most in the NFL. Herbert has also been sacked 12 times, also tied for second most in the NFL. The Chargers’ inability to protect their franchise quarterback is a problem many Chargers fans know all too well.
Predictability is one of the themes early in this season. While it may not show up in the stat sheet, the eye test reveals a concerning pattern in McDaniel’s offense.
McDaniel often tips off the defense on where the ball is going based on personnel, especially on run plays. If Omarion Hampton is the running back, the play is often designed to run between the tackles. If Keaton Mitchell is the back, the play is often run outside the tackles. By simply observing the personnel and which tailback is in the game, the defense can begin to diagnose an already struggling offense.
The Chargers have used pre-snap motion on 68.4% of their plays, third-most in the NFL, only behind the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers, via SharpFootballAnalysis. While this can deceive the defense and give Herbert key information on their coverage, it seems to be doing more harm than good. The Chargers average 9.5 penalties per game, which is the fourth most in the league.
While this scheme may have proven effective for McDaniel while he was head coach in Miami, it’s led to an abysmal offensive product through four weeks.
The Verdict on Mike McDaniel
Even after a 0-4 start, McDaniel isn’t in the hot seat. Despite being winless since Week 16 of last season and having an offense that is once again struggling, Harbaugh is standing by his offensive coordinator.
“His job is not in jeopardy,” Harbaugh said via Kris Rhim at ESPN. “He’s a skilled coach, and we’re going to keep growing … The plan did not work to result in a victory, and we’ll go back and plan some more with the skilled coaches we have and the talented players and fight. That’s what gives me optimism.”
The Chargers host the Denver Broncos in an AFC West divisional clash next Sunday.
The team, and offense in particular, is running out of time to right the ship. With playoff hopes seemingly already out the window, McDaniel is now fighting to keep his job.
If his unit can’t show improvement, the questions surrounding this offensive staff will only get louder.
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