The utilitarian khaki pants, old-school run concepts and option football were all a little too passé for L.A. It was time for capri pants, limited-edition kicks, aviators and a different style for every day of the week. Enter Mike McDaniel.
Jim Harbaugh’s version of the Los Angeles Chargers offense, that throwback, move-the-chains approach shaped by his time with the 49ers, Michigan and Greg Roman’s run-game influence, no longer exists. It’s now the domain of Mike McDaniel, former Dolphins head coach, who probably pays more for a haircut than Harbaugh spends on his yearly wardrobe.
After two years of Justin Herbert still not fully reaching his ceiling under Harbaugh, and the Chargers continuing to stall in the playoffs, it was time for the head coach to step outside his coaching cocoon. L.A. required new concepts and philosophies and coaching styles to cull more explosion and speed and precision from the downfield attack. After both starting tackles went down last year, Herbert sprinting for critical yards became the default. But this offense in 2026 is clearly aspiring for much more, and it has a very different persona behind it all.
“I love the hire,” one general manager said of Harbaugh bringing in McDaniel, a coach who looks, thinks and operates entirely differently than the longtime quarterback coach, offensive coordinator and HC. “That’s going to be a great offense for Herbert.”
Why NFL execs think Mike McDaniel is perfect for Justin Herbert
Former Chargers OC Greg Roman is a master of the mesh-point and getting dynamic returns from the ground game. McDaniel is a savant of the outside-zone run scheme and was a demon helping 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan with that during various stops as an assistant. He also mastered Shanahan’s spacing concepts in the passing game, cultivating yards after the catch.
Things fell apart in Miami fairly quickly in Miami, and it’s fair to question McDaniel’s future as a head coach. But during his first two seasons there, the Dolphins were generating explosive plays all over the field and reaching the playoffs despite Tua Tagovailoa offering little outside the pocket.
McDaniel won’t have to massage Tyreek Hill’s ego anymore or manage an entire roster and, back as an assistant, can resist the temptation to try to win everyone over and be too player friendly. Harbaugh has no problem being the taskmaster and disciplinarian, and there will most definitely be guardrails in place in L.A. that McDaniel never erected in Miami.
But this role, in this town, is straight out of central casting. And he has the requisite roster for success.
Justin Herbert finally has the explosive offense the Chargers envisioned
Herbert is so much bigger, stronger and more athletic than Tagovailoa, with one of the most talented arms on the planet. After Harbaugh collected a bunch of glorified tight ends and possession guys, McDaniel was a driving force behind the selection of receiver Brenen Thompson in the fourth-round, who has world-class speed and will force defenses to adjust.
Watch him cull big plays in the pass and run game from change-of-pace back Keaton Mitchell, too, who is as twitched up as they come. Mitchell is an injury risk given his small stature, but Harbaugh watched him create mismatches for his brother, John, in Baltimore.
“Sneaky-good signing right there,” one-long time personnel said of Mitchell. “That’s a home-run hitter in this offense out in space.” If bookend tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt are fully recovered from season-ending injuries for most of the season, this has the makings of a top-five offense.
Los Angeles is perfect for McDaniel. Also, having to speak to the media once a week in-season rather than five times a week will make for some must-see moments, and he just might be the perfect yang to Harbaugh’s yin, or vice versa.
Mike McDaniel could change the identity of the Chargers
Harbaugh understands he is taking on a quirky operator, and you don’t bring in McDaniel just to micro-manage him and jump on the headset screaming to run the damn ball. I’m going to assume Harbaugh squashes those instincts and gives this offense the breadth and width it requires to take hold and prosper.
If it goes as swimmingly as some execs expect, I’m already bracing for Harbaugh dressing up as McDaniel for Halloween and McDaniel doing the same. Undoubtedly, McDaniel sees this as a quick road to another head coaching gig. But there are so many pieces for him to play with on this offense — and perhaps that gets the best of him on occasion — but that’s where Harbaugh can intervene.
With wizard defensive coordinator Jesse Minter leaving the Chargers to become the head coach in Baltimore, replacing Harbaugh’s brother, the identity of this Los Angeles team is going to shift to offense. McDaniel’s offense. Tapered trousers and Louis Vuitton sneakers. Substance, now with splash.
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