Mike

McDaniel

McCaffrey is a former undrafted free agent NFL wide receiver who spent time with five different NFL teams. He joined the college coaching ranks as a wide receivers coach at Northern Colorado in 2020. He added offensive coordinator to his title in 2021 and held both roles for two seasons. McCaffrey joined the NFL coaching ranks as a member of former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel’s coaching staff in 2023, serving as an offensive assistant through the 2025 season. McCaffrey’s new role reunites him with McDaniel, who was hired as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator in January. 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey are Max’s younger brothers.

McDaniel continued to entertain head coaching offers even after it was rumored he would join the Chargers. Now, after much deliberation, McDaniel is officially joining the Chargers to pair with Justin Herbert and company. McDaniel’s offense finished 11th or better in points scored in two of his four seasons with the Dolphins, but his final two seasons proved forgettable as Tua Tagovailoa’s limitations became apparent and defenses took advantage. McDaniel gets a top-flight QB and talent young playmakers in Ladd McConkey and Omarion Hampton to help guide his offense into 2026. All will make for enticing fantasy picks, and Herbert should enjoy a bounce back if his offensive line can stay healthy.

According to Rapoport, McDaniel is ultimately expected to take the Chargers’ offensive coordinator role, but until the Raiders officially rule him out as a candidate, he will remain an option for the Silver and Black. McDaniel most recently canceled his interview with the Bills on Friday and withdrew his name for consideration for the Browns before that. McDaniel has made several rounds this coaching cycle to speak with teams, but the Chargers seem like the most likely fit barring a team sweeping in to hand him a head coaching gig.

While the Bills are just beginning their search for a new head coach after dismissing Sean McDermott earlier this week, McDaniel has already withdrawn his name from the Browns head coaching search and interviewed for multiple offensive coordinator positions before agreeing to sign on with the Chargers. Schultz says McDaniel and the Bills remain in contact for a potential interview, but there’s a “strong possibility” he moves forward with the Chargers. McDaniel’s presence in Los Angeles would be massive as fantasy managers could expect the 42-year-old coach to get the most out of Justin Herbert and the rest of the Chargers’ offense.

McDaniel is expected to take the job as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, but he’ll still take time to speak with the Bills about their head-coaching opening before settling for a coordinator role. McDaniel withdrew his name from the Browns’ head-coaching search earlier this week in favor of the Chargers’ job, but having the chance to lead a team with one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Josh Allen could be too much for McDaniel to pass up should the opportunity present itself. The Bills are early in their head-coaching search and still have other potential suitors to meet over the weekend, but for now, McDaniel is in the mix.

The Chargers have won the Mike McDaniel sweepstakes, expecting to hire the former Dolphins head coach to their open offensive coordinator role. Several teams were in on the 42-year-old, who was interviewing for both head coaching and offensive coordinator roles. According to Schefter, McDaniel is informing teams they are out and staying in Los Angeles for the evening with the expectation he is the next Chargers’ offensive coordinator. For fantasy purposes, we are in for a faster-paced offense under Justin Herbert. Omarion Hampton is in line for more opportunity in the passing game while the wide receiver room gets better opportunities in McDaniel’s offense when compared to former offensive coordinator Greg Roman’s passing game concepts. Fantasy managers can expect to be more bullish on Herbert and the Chargers offense for 2026.

McDaniel, who is no sure-fire shot to get a head-coaching job though he’s still a candidate with the Ravens and Raiders, is interviewing for the Chargers offensive coordinator job today. It doesn’t look great for the Browns that they couldn’t convince McDaniel to come in for a second interview given the fact that he may be looking at settling into an offensive coordinator spot. Still on the Browns list for second interviews are: Jaguars OC Grant Udinski, Rams passing-game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, former Ravens OC Todd Monken and Chargers DC Jesse Minter.

McDaniel has now met with the Browns, Ravens, and Raiders to discuss their head-coaching vacancies and interviewed with the Buccaneers to discuss their opening at offensive coordinator. The former Dolphins coach has plenty of suitors on the open market, but he seems unlikely to take a job as a coordinator until he has explored all possible options for head coaching gigs. McDaniel already has a second interview with the Browns lined up, which will presumably take place later this week.

As far as head coaching vacancies are concerned, McDaniel now has second interviews with both the Browns and Raiders lined up for this week, and he still remains a highly sought-after offensive coordinator for other teams. Regardless of where he lands, the former Dolphins head coach won’t be without a job for long, as several suitors have emerged since his firing at the end of the season.

McDaniel is one of three head coaching canddiates to land a second interview with the Browns, along with Chargers DC Jesse Minter and Rams passing game coordinator Nathan Scheelhaase. McDaniel has interviewed for a number of jobs since the Dolphins fired him in early January after three seasons at the helm in Miami. He could have his choice of jobs in the coming days, including the Eagles’ offensive coordinator position.