Jim Harbaugh officially has the worst start to a season in Los Angeles Chargers franchise history. Not Brandon Staley. Not Mike McCoy. Jim Harbaugh: 0-5.
And after 5 losses, Harbaugh doesn’t have much left to say in his press conferences, so they keep getting shorter. But one thing that remains constant in each of their press conferences week after week, and loss after loss, is that he refuses to put the blame solely on quarterback Justin Herbert.
“I’m not going to tell him anything different,” Harbaugh said post-game, via Noah Furtado of The Athletic. “He’s doing anything and everything that he can to help us win, and I applaud those that do that.”
And that defensive stance has been going on after the pressure started going on after going 0-2.
Jim Harbaugh Jumps to Justin Herbert’s Defense
“There are definitely times when he was trying to make a play, and too many times this season, there’s been that desperation time,” Harbaugh added. “That’s what I’d attribute that to. Doing anything and everything he can.”
One could argue that Herbert is trying. It’s not a lack-of-effort problem. Rather, trying to force a square peg into Mike McDaniel’s round-hole offense problem.
Bringing in McDaniel changed a lot of things, and anything from it is not working out right for the Chargers. The offensive line can’t protect Herbert in time, and the quarterback heavily struggles with spotting open receivers and even understanding the plays at all.
His nine turnovers (including two fumbles lost) tie with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye for the most among NFL quarterbacks so far.
Through 5 games in the 2026 season, he has thrown 7 INTs on under 150 attempts. For perspective, in 2024 he threw only 3 interceptions across the entire 17-game season. At this rate, he will close in on his previous career high for interceptions in a full regular season of 13 (set in 2025 across 16 games) in the next two or three weeks.
”Be better. Be better,” Harbaugh said of Herbert’s decision-making earlier in Week 4, after they went 0-3. “And that drives Justin, that drives me, that drives his position coach, that drives Mike [McDaniel], the coordinator. I mean, drives us all.”
Combine all these stats, and it tells the exact reason why the Bolts fanbase wants McDaniel gone after just 5 games.
Mike McDaniel on the Hot Seat?
ESPN’s Dan Graziano warned that after a 0-5 start, someone needs to take the blame for the damage. Harbaugh’s not letting it trickle to Herbert, and McDaniel, too, has defended their QB. So it’s not him.
Harbaugh is under a $16M-per-year contract with Los Angeles, which gives him ultimate job security, meaning he sets the timeline. So, naturally, fingers are pointing towards McDaniel.
“Yeah, barring a massive turnaround, you have to think someone ends up in trouble with the Chargers,” Graziano writes. “Head coach? GM? Quarterback? All of the above? Also, what happens if things turn really bad in Philadelphia?”
To which Fowler agreed.
“It feels like someone will shoulder the blame in Los Angeles,” Fowler writes. “Harbaugh has a massive five-year deal (reportedly worth $80 million) and has built up sweat equity with back-to-back 11-win seasons. And things look bleak, to be clear. But he essentially just rebuilt the staff, so not sure that’s a solution.”
“His job is not in jeopardy,” Jim Harbaugh insisted following the loss to Seattle—but if this offensive slide continues, he’s going to end up repeating that line every single Monday.
0-5 Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh Refuses to Throw QB Justin Herbert Under the Bus