The Los Angeles Chargers have found their new offensive coordinator, finalizing their hiring of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel on Monday morning.
This comes after a week of an anxiety-inducing back and forth in which McDaniel was still doing the rounds for head coaching interviews. That has all come to an end.
There are still questions that linger this offseason, including who they will hire to replace Jesse MInter and how they will approach their glaring needs in free agency. But McDaniel goes a long way towards easing many of the concerns surrounding the team.
The Chargers are now set with the schematic mind they need to maximize their offensive talent, and fans can rejoice. What once seemed like a far-off dream has come true.
BREAKING: #Chargers have officially hired former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel as their new OC, per source.
— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) January 26, 2026
It took nearly a week, but a deal is finalized, and the team will introduce McDaniel in the coming days. pic.twitter.com/X13WQn0HDA
Mike McDaniel will now attempt to get the Chargers over the hump
As Los Angeles fell to the New England Patriots, 3-16, in the Wild Card Round, there were very few who would have passionately advocated for Greg Roman to remain as the team's offensive coordinator. He was fighting an uphill battle with the play of the offensive line, but his unimaginative scheme became a glaring weakness as the campaign went on.
McDaniel, meanwhile, presents an innovative mindset. While the team struggled in his final two seasons in Miami, his first two seasons saw him implement a motion-heavy, outside zone-dependent scheme that worked wonders for the Dolphins.
In his second season at the helm, Miami finished first in the NFL in total offense.
Obviously, he will have to adjust his scheme to the Chargers' skill players, as they do not possess the top-end speed that Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill did at that time.
However, his creative use of the run game could unlock both Omarion Hampton and Justin Herbert in ways fans could have never imagined.
McDaniel, moreover, withdrew himself from consideration for head coaching jobs with the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Las Vegas Raiders in order to take the job with the Chargers. While this will likely be a short-term position as he attempts to rise back to the head coaching ranks, he has already shown faith in his ability to elevate the offense and, by extension, the team.
He has bet on himself, and in doing so, has bet on the Chargers. After over a week of tremulous anxiety, fans can now let out a relieved exhale.
McDaniel will be on the Chargers staff when the first snap is taken in 2026.