The Los Angeles Chargers have continued to fill out their coaching staff as the offseason heats up, hiring Max McCaffrey as their new running backs coach.
Max McCaffrey worked under Mike McDaniel for three seasons with the Miami Dolphins as an offensive assistant, and he now gets a promotion with McDaniel's move to the Chargers. This corresponds with the departure of Kiel McDonald.
There's reason to be excited about this hire. McCaffrey has already studied under McDaniel for multiple years, and he should be more than able to help implement his dynamic running scheme in Los Angeles.
Yet it's hard not think about a pipe dream that this hiring could make more realistic. Christian McCaffrey is a free agent after the 2027 season, and the hiring of his brother could ultimately entice him to come to the Chargers.
McCaffrey ties could help land the Chargers one of the NFL's premier stars when he becomes available
Although the McDaniel hire filled the offensive coordinator role in a sensational way, it's unlikely that he'll be around for long. It's clear that his intentions are to earn another head coaching shot, and any amount of serious success even in his first season with the Chargers will likely earn him a promotion.
When the time comes, Max McCaffrey will be a serious candidate to take over. Although he has limited experience at the NFL level, his familiarity with McDaniel's scheme could make him a preferred option.
Here's where things get interesting. If Max McCaffrey were to get the promotion to offensive coordinator of the Chargers, that could be enough to lure Christian McCaffrey in.
Christian McCaffrey was still at the top of his game in 2025, overcoming the injury struggles he dealt with last season and amassing 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground while earning 924 yards and seven touchdowns through the air. He narrowly lost Offensive Player of the Year to breakout wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
When his free agency comes in 2027, Christian will be 31. That's often past the age of viability for running backs, but we've seen players pull off immaculate seasons at that age before. McCaffrey will no longer be a workhorse back at that point, but imagine him coupled with a fourth-year Omarion Hampton. It's almost too good to be true.
Of course, their hiring of Max McCaffrey was not made with the long-term intention of making a bid for Christian in free agency. That would be a ridiculous way to run a coaching staff.
But it does, at the very least, inspire a pipe dream for the Chargers: one that has a very real chance of coming to fruition when the time comes.