Former Dolphins Coach McDaniel Joins LA to Lead Offensive Overhaul
The Los Angeles Chargers are expected to hire former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator, sources confirmed Tuesday evening. McDaniel will replace Greg Roman, who was fired two days after the team’s 16-3 wild-card playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
McDaniel, 42, spent four seasons leading the Dolphins to a 35-33 regular-season record before being dismissed this offseason following a 7-10 season. The move reunites the veteran coach with quarterback Justin Herbert, a two-time Pro Bowler and 2020 first-round pick who has yet to win a playoff game.
McDaniel’s Background and Recent History
Before his tenure as Dolphins head coach, Mike McDaniel served as the San Francisco 49ers’ offensive coordinator in 2021. During his first two seasons in Miami, McDaniel established the Dolphins as an offensive powerhouse—taking a franchise that hadn’t finished in the top 10 in total yards since 1995 to the NFL’s top-ranked offense in 2023. However, the team struggled over the past two seasons with a combined 15-19 record, leading to his dismissal.
McDaniel had been a candidate for multiple head-coaching positions with the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders, but has now informed other teams he is withdrawing from their searches. He had also drawn interest from the Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers for offensive coordinator roles, as well as interviewing with the Cleveland Browns before withdrawing his name.
Strategic Fit With the Chargers
Under head coach Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers have made the playoffs in both seasons but failed to advance past the wild-card round. The Chargers finished 12th in yards per game (333.8) this season, indicating room for offensive improvement. With Justin Herbert—who set an NFL record for most yards thrown in a player’s first three seasons—the potential for a high-powered offense exists.
McDaniel will be the fifth offensive coordinator for Herbert since the quarterback’s 2020 draft. The Chargers’ offensive arsenal includes running backs Omarion Hampton and Kimani Vidal, and receivers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, providing McDaniel with notable skill-position talent to develop.
Though no deal has been officially signed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that McDaniel met with Chargers leadership Tuesday night and “the expectation across the league is that McDaniel will be staying in LA,” according to reports. The move offers McDaniel a potential runway to establish himself as an A-list head-coaching candidate for the 2027 coaching cycle while helping the Chargers break their playoff drought.
