Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is considering former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as the Chargers’ next offensive coordinator.
The Chargers will interview McDaniel for the offensive coordinator job next week, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Since being fired by the Dolphins last week, McDaniel has had several interviews, both for head-coaching and offensive coordinator vacancies.
The 42-year-old McDaniel spent the last four years as head coach of the Dolphins and was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator before the Dolphins hired him. McDaniel was once regarded as one of the league’s brightest young offensive minds, but the failure of Tua Tagovailoa to develop within the Dolphins’ offense took some of the shine off McDaniel’s reputation.
Now Harbaugh will consider whether McDaniel is the right man to build an offense around Justin Herbert, as the Chargers attempt to do something they haven’t done since Herbert arrived: win a playoff game.
Chargers Clips
The Chargers announced another offensive coordinator interview on Friday.
They have completed an interview with former Titans head coach Brian Callahan. The Chargers fired Greg Roman earlier this week and they interviewed their own passing game coordinator Marcus Brady on Thursday.
Callahan was fired by the Titans after a 1-5 start to this season and he was 4-19 over his entire time with the team. He was the Bengals’ offensive coordinator before getting the job in Tennessee and has also interviewed with the Buccaneers for their coordinator vacancy.
The Chargers will be adding other names to a search that head coach Jim Harbaugh said is designed to provide “a fresh start to stimulate a new direction” after the offense flamed out against the Patriots last weekend.
The Browns are the latest team to interview Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for their head coaching vacancy.
Minter is meeting with the team on Friday. The Browns also confirmed that they are interviewing Rams passing game coordinator Nate Scheelhaase to close out the week.
Minter has been popular on the circuit this week. He’s interviewed with the Cardinals, Falcons, Ravens, Raiders, Dolphins, and Titans since the Chargers were eliminated from the playoffs by the Patriots. The Giants also requested an interview with him before moving to hire John Harbaugh.
The Browns appear to be moving on to a second round of interviews after the meetings with Minter and Scheelhaase. Word on Friday is that their defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will have another interview for the top job on Sunday.
The Chargers have completed an interview with quarterbacks coach Shane Day for their opening offensive coordinator job, the team announced Thursday.
They also have interviewed passing game coordinator Marcus Brady.
Day has had a long career in the NFL, but he has never been an offensive coordinator. He was quarterbacks coach for the Bears (2010-11), 49ers (2019-20), Chargers (2021-22 and 2025). He doubled as the Chargers’ passing game coordinator in 2021-22.
He has coached Jay Cutler, Jimmy Garoppolo and Justin Herbert.
Day has also been an offensive line coach (Washington in 2014-15) and a tight ends coach (Miami in 2016-18).
In 2023, Day was senior offensive assistant for the Texans.
The Dolphins completed interviews with Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Thursday, the team announced.
Every team with an opening has requested to interview Minter, and Saleh is also a candidate for the Titans, Ravens and Cardinals’ jobs.
Minter became the Chargers’ defensive coordinator in 2024, following Jim Harbaugh from the University of Michigan. Minter was the defensive coordinator for two seasons in Ann Arbor.
He has also worked at Vanderbilt, Georgia State, Indiana State, Cincinnati and Notre Dame on the collegiate level, and Minter was with the Ravens from 2017-20.
Saleh is in his second stint as the 49ers’ defensive coordinator, rejoining the staff before this season. He previously served in that role from 2017-20 before becoming the Jets’ head coach.
Saleh has also spent time with the Jaguars, Seahawks and Texans.
The Dolphins also have completed interviews with Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak and and former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski. They have requested Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, Rams defensive coordinator Chris Shula, Jaguars defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile and Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
Jim Harbaugh has only worked with one offensive coordinator as an NFL head coach, but that’s set to change in 2026.
The Chargers fired Greg Roman after Sunday night’s 16-3 loss to the Patriots and Harbaugh discussed that decision at a press conference on Thursday. Roman worked with Harbaugh with the 49ers as well, but the team’s offense has flamed out in the playoffs the last two years and Harbaugh said that the team feels a need to chart a different course as they try for more success in the future.
“You need a fresh start to stimulate a new direction,” Harbaugh said, via Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News.
Harbaugh was reminded of last year’s comment that the team did quarterback Justin Herbert “a disservice and didn’t put him in the positions to be successful enough” and reiterated his belief that the team has to do more to put their offense at the same level he believes Herbert has reached already.
“Justin’s talent, Justin’s ability, I have no questions about that,” Harbaugh said. “Winner all the way and, yeah, it’s our responsibility to get up to his level. We’re continually striving to do that.”
The next offensive coordinator will be the fifth that Herbert has worked with since joining the Chargers and that choice will have to be a big hit to quiet all doubts that the Chargers can get over the hump with Harbaugh and Herbert in the leading roles.
The Chargers will need a new linebackers coach for the 2026 season.
General Manager Joe Hortiz announced at a Thursday press conference that NaVorro Bowman is stepping away from the job. Bowman is leaving the Chargers in order to spend more time with his family.
Bowman spent the last two seasons as the team’s linebackers coach. He was a defensive analyst at Maryland for one year before moving to Los Angeles. Bowman played 89 games for the 49ers and made four All-Pro teams before closing out his playing days with the Raiders.
The Chargers are also looking for a new offensive coordinator and they will need a new defensive coordinator if Jesse Minter lands a head coaching job.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has completed another head coaching interview.
The Falcons announced that they have completed an interview with Minter on Thursday. The Falcons also interviewed Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley earlier in the day.
Minter has led the Chargers defense to a pair of top-10 finishes in points allowed in his two seasons with the club. The Chargers made the playoffs both years and that success has made Minter a popular figure in this year’s head coaching searches. He’s also interviewing with the Dolphins on Thursday and has met with the Cardinals, Raiders, Ravens, and Titans.
In addition to Minter and Hafley, the Falcons have interviewed former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, and Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver.
The Chargers have completed the first interview of their search for a new offensive coordinator.
The team didn’t have to look far to find that candidate. Their passing game coordinator Marcus Brady interviewed for the chance to succeed Greg Roman in the coordinator role.
Brady joined the Chargers staff as their passing game coordinator in 2025. He was an offensive consultant for the Colts for the previous two seasons and the offensive coordinator for the Colts in 2021 and 2022. Brady was the quarterbacks coach in Indianapolis before becoming the coordinator and he’s also worked in the CFL.
The Chargers fired Roman after being held to three points in their loss to the Patriots last Sunday night.
The Raiders have interviewed two more candidates for their head coaching job.
Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter and Panthers defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero are the new additions to the list. Both interviews were conducted virtually and both coaches will be available for second interviews after the divisional round since their teams have been eliminated from the playoffs.
Minter has received interview requests from every team looking for a head coach other than the Steelers and has been making the rounds this week. Evero has several requests as well, including one that the Steelers made on Thursday.
The Raiders have also interviewed former Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy, Broncos quarterbacks coach/pass game coordinator Davis Webb, Broncos defensive coordinator Vance Joseph, and Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak.
