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Mike McDaniel is interviewing for the Chargers offensive coordinator job as he narrows his options down
The Los Angeles Chargers‘ 2025 campaign wasn’t necessarily a failure, but after getting bounced in the wild-card round of the playoffs once again, it was clear that changes needed to be made. Shortly after the New England Patriots eliminated them from the postseason, offensive coordinator Greg Roman was fired, meaning that the Chargers needed to find a proper replacement.
Given Roman’s ties to head coach Jim Harbaugh, this decision was not made lightly by Los Angeles. However, the team has moved quickly to identify candidates that could replace Roman, and one of the top names on the list, former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, could be emerging as the frontrunner for this job.
Chargers Take Step Towards Hiring Mike McDaniel
McDaniel is one of the more polarizing candidates across the NFL. After he was surprisingly fired by the Dolphins in the wake of their miserable 2025 season, folks didn’t really know what to make of him. On one hand, he spent most of the year dealing with rumors about his future with the team, but he still managed to lead them to a 7-10 record, despite dealing with Tua Tagovailoa’s inconsistent play.
Prior to Tagovailoa’s struggles, McDaniel had built up a high-powered offense in Miami that took the league by storm. As a result, he’s generating interest not only as an offensive coordinator but also as a head coach for several teams. In a surprise twist, McDaniel is one of the most sought-after coaches in the league right now.
McDaniel has several options on his plate. However, on Tuesday afternoon, he opted to bow out of the running for the Cleveland Browns‘ head coach opening. And not only that, but he also interviewed with Los Angeles for its offensive coordinator gig, indicating he’s seriously considering the position.
“Former Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel informed the Browns he’s withdrawing from their head coaching search ahead of a scheduled in-person interview Wednesday, per sources,” Tom Pelissero of NFL Network shared in a post on X. “McDaniel — who is still a candidate for the Ravens and Raiders HC vacancies — is interviewing for the Chargers offensive coordinator job today. He has multiple OC offers and could have a new home soon.”
Should the Chargers Hire Mike McDaniel?
GettyMike McDaniel is drawing interest as HC around the league
Right off the bat, it’s clear why the Chargers’ job is appealing to McDaniel. Justin Herbert is one of the top quarterbacks in the league, and there’s a strong coaching infrastructure in place with Harbaugh leading the charge currently. If McDaniel wants to build his reputation back up, landing with the Chargers would seemingly help him accomplish that.
The main issue for L.A. is that McDaniel could very well be interested in landing a head coach job with another team. He’s still in the running for the Baltimore Ravens and Las Vegas Raiders openings, and there’s a decent shot he’d prefer to be a head coach than an offensive coordinator at this stage of the game. If he doesn’t land either of those openings, though, the Chargers could quickly become a top landing spot for one of the brightest offensive minds in the game.
Owen Crisafulli Owen Crisafulli is a Breaking News Writer at Heavy. In addition to writing for Heavy, Owen works as a Content Producer for More Views Media. His work has also appeared on ClutchPoints, The Sporting News, Athlon Sports, Basketball Network, and FanSided, where he shared his insights on a variety of sports topics primarily surrounding the NFL, NBA, and MLB. More about Owen Crisafulli
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