Mike McDaniel’s move to the Los Angeles Chargers was one of the biggest hires of the NFL coaching carousel, sending a clear signal to the rest of the league that the Bolts are pivoting aggressively on offense and doubling down on Justin Herbert’s window to win now.
McDaniel, officially announced Monday as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, arrives on the heels of a surprising exit from Miami, where he was relieved of head-coaching duties earlier this month.
The hire gives Los Angeles an offensive architect known for creative scheming and quarterback development, and it comes at a moment when the Chargers have both cap flexibility and a series of impending roster decisions that make the timing especially meaningful.
On “The Pat McAfee Show” Tuesday, McDaniel framed his departure from Miami as a chapter he values but is ready to move past.
“I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I think for me as a coach in the National Football League, I’m just getting started to where my career can go,” McDaniel said. “I’m very happy with all the lessons learned. I really have found some unbelievable relationships there within the Dolphins organization, and I very much appreciate that time there, but it’s time for a new chapter, and I’m ready to go for that.”
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From L.A.’s perspective, this is a low-risk, high-upside move.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh fired longtime offensive coordinator Greg Roman on Jan. 13, 2026, and publicly said he wanted a fresh voice to run his offense. McDaniel fits that brief: a forward-leaning play-caller who can modernize concepts, simplify some game-day reads for Herbert, and inject tempo and motion principles that have defined McDaniel’s previous systems.
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The timing matters because the Chargers enter the offseason with notable flexibility and a slate of consequential decisions to make.
Los Angeles is projected to have approximately $88 million in cap space, the third most in the NFL, along with a handful of key free agents to address. The Chargers also hold the No. 22 pick in the upcoming draft, a spot that positions the front office to add complementary pieces rather than reset the roster around a rookie.
Bringing McDaniel in now gives him a meaningful voice in personnel conversations, including which receivers best fit his route concepts, how the running game and offensive line will be structured, and where the organization should invest to fully maximize Herbert’s prime years.
