The Los Angeles Chargers have largely had a perfect offseason so far. They hired one of the premier offensive coordinator candidates on the market in Mike McDaniel. Although they lost Jesse Minter to the Baltimore Ravens, they replaced him with a coach that will hopefully be equally as adept in Chris O'Leary.
They now have the core of their coaching staff assembled, and these two coordinators will do their best to elevate the team into championship contention.
Yet there still are a number of openings across the league, leaving the Chargers vulnerable to rival coaching staffs attempting to poach some of their other integral coaches.
The first step in this process began on Thursday, when the New York Giants requested an interview with Los Angeles quarterbacks coach Shane Day for their vacant offensive coordinator position.
Day has long been one of Herbert's favorite coaches, but the Harbaugh brothers also have a long history of poaching from each other's staffs. This latest instance could prove to create a frustrating loss for the Chargers.
Sources: The #Giants will interview #Chargers QBs coach Shane Day for their vacant OC position on Saturday.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) January 30, 2026
Day is widely regarded as one of the top QB coaches in the NFL and has been instrumental in Justin Herbert’s career. He was a serious candidate for the Chargers’ OC job… pic.twitter.com/VUbBpYDDA0
Shane Day will be a top candidate for the Giants' OC position
Almost as soon as the Baltimore Ravens parted ways with John Harbaugh, the tenured coach was tied to the job he ultimately landed with the Giants. New York desperately needs an organizational turnaround, and John Harbaugh is well-poised to deliver that.
Yet since John Harbaugh's hiring, a number of the top offensive coordinator candidates have come off the market. With Todd Monken taking the job as the Cleveland Browns' head coach, the Giants are left with very few options.
Therefore, their request to interview Day does not come as a huge surprise. But his departure would be particularly frustrating.
Day's first stint as quarterbacks coach with the Chargers came in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. He was ultimately fired with the regime change that led to Brandon Staley's departure. Yet he was brought back in 2024 at the request of Herbert.
Day has been instrumental in Herbert's development, and it's clear they have a solid relationship.
This would be far from the first instance of one Harbaugh poaching from the other. Jesse Minter worked under John Harbaugh for years before eventually joining Jim at Michigan after a short stint at Vanderbilt. Former offensive coordinator Greg Roman also worked under John for years.
Yet if Day ultimately earns the job with New York, the Chargers would be left attempting to replace a vital member of their staff relatively late in the coaching cycle. Perhaps McDaniel has an adequate replacement he can bring in from his time in Miami.
But it would be an exasperating development nonetheless.