Chargers hire ex-Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator
The Chargers hired former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator on Monday as they look to maximize the talents of quarterback Justin Herbert following another unique playoff exit.
Fired by the Dolphins on Jan. 8 after a 7-10 season, McDaniel went 35-33 in four seasons in South Beach. His hiring comes less than two weeks after Herbert fell to 0-3 in the playoffs following a 16-3 AFC loss to the New England Patriots, leading to the firing of offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
With defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving to coach the Baltimore Ravens, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh will have two new coordinators in 2026.
Considered one of the NFL’s leading offensive innovators when he was hired by the Dolphins after a year as offensive coordinator in San Francisco, McDaniel guided Miami to back-to-back playoff berths in 2022 and ’23. In McDaniel’s first season, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 games. He went on to pass for a league-leading 4,624 total yards with 29 touchdowns in 2023 running the league’s best offense (401 net yards per game).
The Dolphins, however, did not have a single playoff victory under McDaniel. And Tagovailoa’s injury-limited 2024 season, coupled with his deteriorating performance this season, factored into McDaniel’s firing.
Still, McDaniel’s reputation as an offensive guru made him a prime candidate not only for coordinator jobs, but also for head coaching vacancies. He reportedly interviewed for head coaching positions with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans before deciding to join Harbaugh’s staff. He also reportedly withdrew from consideration for the Cleveland Browns head coaching job and canceled an interview for the Buffalo Bills head coaching job before making his deal with the Chargers official.
Harbaugh said last week that he wants “an offensive head coach,” someone who “teaches, installs and puts players in the best position to succeed.”
Much of that wish list will center around McDaniel creating a running game to complement Herbert — something that never fully materialized under Roman and Harbaugh.
The Chargers clearly prioritized rushing last offseason when they signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton in the first round. But season-ending injuries to Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and Harris, coupled with Hampton being plagued by ankle injuries, thwarted significant year-over-year gains (122 yards per game in 2025; 111 in 2024).
With the offensive line expected to return to full strength and general manager Joe Hortiz says he’s willing to spend some of the team’s estimated $103 million in salary cap space, the Chargers are well-positioned for another playoff run in 2026.
Whether McDaniel can help Herbert end his playoff winless streak remains to be seen.
