Chargers hire ex-Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel as | College News
The Chargers employed former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator Monday as they appear to maximize quarterback Justin Herbert‘s talents in the wake of another one-and-done playoff exit.
Fired by the Dolphins on Jan. 8 after a 7-10 season, McDaniel went 35-33 over 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 wild-card loss to the New England Patriots, resulting in offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s firing.
With defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving to turn into coach of the Baltimore Ravens, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh can have two new coordinators in 2026.
Considered one of the NFL’s main offensive innovators when he was employed by the Dolphins after a one-year stint 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 handed for 3,548 yards and 25 touchdowns in 13 video games. He then handed for a league-leading 4,624 yards with 29 touchdowns in 2023 at the entrance of the league’s top offense (401 web yards per sport).
The Dolphins, however, have been winless in the playoffs under McDaniel. And Tagovailoa’s injury-limited 2024 season, coupled with his deteriorating performances this season, factored into McDaniel’s firing.
Still, McDaniel’s repute as an offensive guru made him a prime candidate not just for coordinator positions, but for head teaching vacancies too. He reportedly interviewed for head teaching jobs with the Atlanta Falcons, Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders and Tennessee Titans before deciding to be a part of Harbaugh’s employees. He also reportedly withdrew from consideration for the Cleveland Browns’ head teaching job and canceled an interview for the Buffalo Bills head teaching emptiness before formalizing his deal with the Chargers.
Harbaugh said last week he wished “a head coach of the offense,” somebody who “teaches, installs and puts the players in the best position to be successful.”
Much of that want listing will heart on McDaniel establishing a run sport to complement Herbert — one thing that never totally materialized under Roman and Harbaugh.
The Chargers clearly prioritized the frenzy last offseason when they signed Najee Harris and drafted Omarion Hampton in the first spherical. But season-ending accidents to Rashawn Slater, Joe Alt and Harris, coupled with Hampton being undermined by ankle accidents, thwarted significant year-over-year positive factors (122 yards per sport in 2025; 111 in 2024).
With the offensive line set to return to full strength and common supervisor Joe Hortiz saying he’s prepared to spend some of the group’s estimated $103 million in salary-cap space, the Chargers are well-positioned for another postseason run in 2026.
Whether McDaniel can help Herbert end his playoff winless streak stays to be seen.
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