The Chargers made it official Monday. Mike McDaniel will be their new offensive coordinator replacing Greg Roman, who was fired Jan. 13, two days after a lackluster offensive showing during their 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots in an AFC wild-card game.
McDaniel spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins before he was fired after they missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season. He interviewed for several head coaching positions, but took himself out of the running for the Buffalo Bills’ vacancy Saturday.
McDaniel will be tasked with unlocking the full potential of quarterback Justin Herbert, who will be working with his fifth different offensive coordinator since the Chargers drafted him sixth overall in the 2020 draft. Herbert was the NFL’s ninth-leading passer this past season with 3,727 yards.
Herbert was sacked a career-high 54 times while playing behind an offensive line that was without top tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater because of season-ending injuries. Alt injured his ankle in a victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 9 and Slater sustained a torn knee tendon in training camp.
Injuries to running backs Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris also hindered the Chargers’ offense, preventing it from rising above 20th in the NFL in points per game (20.6), 12th in net yards per game (333.8), 12th in net rushing yards per game (121.6) and 18th in net passing yards per game (212.2).
The Chargers will hold an introductory news conference with the 42-year-old McDaniel on Tuesday. The team posted on social media a short clip of McDaniel sitting at a table and introducing himself as the offensive coordinator of the Chargers followed by a wry smile emoji.
In addition to McDaniel, the Chargers also interviewed Arizona Cardinals passing game coordinator Drew Terrell, Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith, ex-Titans coach Brian Callahan, Chargers quarterback coach Shane Day and their passing game coordinator, Marcus Brady.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said at his season-ending news conference that he was in search of an “offensive head coach” after Roman was fired after two seasons. The Chargers’ offense clicked at times, but never seemed to realize its full potential despite back-to-back 11-win seasons.
The Chargers’ offense stagnated during their wild-card loss to the Patriots on Jan. 11, when Herbert completed 19 of 31 passes for 159 yards. They managed just one field goal from Cameron Dicker. The Chargers were only slightly better in a 32-12 wild-card loss to the Houston Texans one year earlier.
Herbert is winless in three career playoff appearances.
McDaniel got his start as a coaching intern with the Denver Broncos in 2005. He spent three seasons with the Texans, two with Sacramento of the UFL, three with the Washington Commanders, one with the Browns and two with the Atlanta Falcons before joining the San Francisco 49ers.
It was with 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan that McDaniel began to gain a reputation as an up-and-coming assistant coach, first as San Francisco’s run game coordinator and then as its offensive coordinator in the 2021 season. The Dolphins hired him as their head coach before the 2022 season.
McDaniel was 35-33 in four seasons in Miami. He was known as an innovative play-caller whose schemes put defenses on their heels, especially when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was at his best during the 2022 and ‘23 seasons, when the Dolphins reached the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Miami went 8-9 in 2024 and 7-10 this past season, missing the playoffs both times. The Dolphins fired McDaniel on Jan. 8. Reportedly, he interviewed with the Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Titans before deciding to join Harbaugh’s coaching staff.
The Chargers have started interviews for their defensive coordinator job after Jesse Minter joined the Ravens as their head coach last week. They have interviewed Rams assistant head coach Aubrey Pleasant, Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr and Titans defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson.