Chargers Retain McDaniel as Playcaller After 0-6 Start
Jim Harbaugh says the team’s self-scouting during the bye week confirmed the staff’s confidence in the offensive coordinator despite a league-worst scoring average.
By Chioma Rogers ·
The Los Angeles Chargers will keep Mike McDaniel as their offensive playcaller despite starting the 2026 season 0-6, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced on Wednesday. The decision comes after the team’s offense struggled to a season-low six points in a 22-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.
Harbaugh told reporters that the organization conducted a thorough review of their film and strategy during their Week 7 bye. "I feel like every stone, any part that we could look to better, that's the way we responded," Harbaugh said. He added that the staff remains confident in McDaniel's talent, work ethic, and ability.
The Chargers currently hold the league's worst points-per-game average at 15.0. In the loss to the Chiefs, the team managed just 259 total yards. They are the only winless team remaining in the NFL this season.
McDaniel joined the Chargers this offseason after being fired as the head coach of the Miami Dolphins in January. He arrived with a mandate to elevate Justin Herbert, whom McDaniel described as one of the most talented quarterbacks he has ever coached. The goal was to help Herbert fully own the position.
The process involved physical adjustments, including Herbert changing his shotgun stance by moving his left foot in front of his right. McDaniel applied similar changes with Tua Tagovailoa in Miami. Herbert practiced footwork with a green water ball for days, taking breaks from throwing while McDaniel observed closely.
Despite these changes, Herbert has thrown eight interceptions this season, tying for the NFL lead. He has been picked off directly by defenders multiple times, including by Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson in Week 3 and twice by Seattle Seahawks linebackers Drake Thomas and Ernest Jones IV in Week 4.
McDaniel previously built one of the most prolific offenses in league history with the Dolphins, who defeated the Denver Broncos 70-20 in 2023. That game saw the team generate over 700 yards of offense and tie the record for points scored in a single game.
Source: ESPN
