After firing their two-year offensive coordinator following a demoralizing 2025 Wild Card loss to the Patriots, the Chargers have secured what many saw as the top available OC candidate in the NFL.
The Chargers hired former Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel. The move appears to be the franchise’s most important cultural change since Jim Harbaugh was hired in 2024. Furthermore, it could be argued that McDaniel’s influence may even go beyond Harbaugh’s.
But before getting too caught up in what exactly is about to change, the question must be: Why did McDaniel choose Los Angeles over a head coaching job? McDaniel certainly had options. Still, he seemingly picked Harbaugh, Herbert, and sunny Southern California.
McDaniel’s Options
After being fired by the Miami Dolphins following four seasons as their head coach, McDaniel generated considerable interest across the league. Reportedly, the offensive specialist drew attention from the Bills, Browns, Eagles, Buccaneers, Raiders, and Ravens.
Still, McDaniel was also linked to the Los Angeles OC position early on. He met with Harbaugh and owner Dean Spanos on Jan. 20.
ESPN insiders Kris Rhim and Adam Schefter both reported the Chargers’ expected hiring of McDaniel on that day. The official announcement came less than a week later.
Several teams were still considering McDaniel during that waiting period, but the coach withdrew from his scheduled interviews one by one.
All that matters now is that McDaniel chose the Chargers. As displayed in his introductory press conference on Jan. 27, the choice wasn’t really a choice.
Experience Under Harbaugh
McDaniel’s HC performance in Miami was as mediocre as it gets. He finished with a 35-33 record and went 0-2 in the playoffs. Granted, much of the mediocrity may not have been his direct responsibility. Still, it was disappointing for a coach with such celebrated offensive talent and ingenuity.
It was clear that McDaniel had potential, but he might not yet possess the necessary experience to be a head coach.
In his introductory press conference, McDaniel praised Harbaugh and the opportunity to work with him. Not only was his praise enthusiastic, but McDaniel also credited Harbaugh as the main reason he was interested in the job.
“For me, the opportunity to work with Coach Harbaugh, it was too good to pass up. It felt like I was extremely fortunate to be afforded this opportunity. It felt [like] something I could easily get behind in terms of ambition to go and attack the next thing.”
McDaniel has faced Harbaugh multiple times in different roles and with various teams throughout his career. During the press conference, he expressed a desire to emulate and be part of the winning culture that Harbaugh is known for creating within football teams.
When Harbaugh enters a building, the team begins winning. It’s no surprise that a young coach coming off a disappointing firing would want to follow Harbaugh’s example. Especially if McDaniel plans to return to a head coaching position soon.
McDaniel highlighted that his intense experiences as HC over the past few years are what motivated him to accept the Los Angeles deal with major offensive injuries, including Tyreek Hill in 2025. Most notably, he had to manage Tua Tagovailoa’s injury issues over the past few seasons. McDaniel faced numerous hardships and challenges in dealing with the media, the public, and, most importantly, his locker room.
Resident Coach of the 2020 Quarterbacks?
Another highly appealing aspect of the Chargers’ job is a stark, somewhat ironic contrast to McDaniel’s experiences in Miami. McDaniel, when discussing some of his challenges in past seasons, said, “[…] I think it really pulled into focus how important the quarterback is to your overall effectiveness as a coach and as a team.”
Debates about the 2020 quarterback class have been prevalent for a while. But perhaps nothing is discussed more than Tagovailoa versus Herbert.
The No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 draft, Tagovailoa, was selected by then-head coach Brian Flores. Herbert was then drafted No. 6 overall, sparking a seemingly endless debate about their talent. Dolphins fans criticize Herbert’s playoff record, while Chargers fans criticize Tagovailoa’s… everything.
While it’s ironic that McDaniel is now working with Herbert, it makes perfect sense that Herbert would attract any OC. He now happens to have McDaniel, an offensive powerhouse.
McDaniel spoke highly of Herbert throughout the entire press conference. The main point of his new offensive approach with the talented young QB, however, is not to pressure him into too many “Superman” moments. McDaniel knows that he has a highly gifted, seemingly unlimited QB in Herbert. And with that, it often feels like every passing play requires him to exert a lot of effort and make a significant impact.
With McDaniel’s extensive experience as a run game coordinator and his mindset, he should plan to use Herbert more in simple schemes and throws. This would replace the need to attempt a deep ball or a contested pass on every third-and-long. Hopefully, Herbert will be able to manage the offense more efficiently.
This is possible if the offensive line stays in its 2025 form. However, that issue is beyond McDaniel’s ability to fix.
Still “Chargering?”
After such a demoralizing playoff loss, ending this season virtually the same way that Harbaugh’s first one did, it’s incredibly refreshing to have an OC who chose Los Angeles. The Greg Roman days were stagnant and quickly became uninspired. For such a sought-after coach to pick the Chargers means there’s substantial hope for the future.
McDaniel certainly feels that way. Herbert certainly feels that way. Harbaugh certainly feels that way.
There are definitely challenges ahead in choosing a new DC after Jesse Minter’s departure. But with the return from injury of the team’s star tackles, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, there might not be a better offensive outlook in the league right now.
The new offense brewing in Los Angeles is scary. Hopefully, McDaniel gains the experience he’s seeking, along with postseason success that Harbaugh desires for this team.
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