Los Angeles Chargers fans may not be so quick to laud new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel with praise. He may not even be coming to LA after all.
McDaniel will be Jim Harbaugh’s OC if he doesn’t land an HC job.
According to the New York Post, McDaniel allegedly held an interview with the Buffalo Bills about their head coaching vacancy after taking the Chargers’ OC job. This is actually the second time this has happened this cycle, as Brian Flores extended his Vikings contract as DC and is still fielding interviews , but the first time a completely new hire has sought a better opportunity.
Still, Chargers fans shouldn’t be panicking too heavily. McDaniel has stated that he will honor his contract with the Chargers should the Bills reject him.
McDaniel’s Temptation: Buffalo’s Opening and the Josh Allen Factor
Perhaps McDaniel would have remained content had Buffalo retained McDermott. However, after unusual comments and circumstances in Buffalo after their overtime loss in the Divisional Round to the Broncos, the organization made the decision to fire him. It’s important to note that McDaniel has a lot going against him as the Bills could look at former OC Brian Daboll or simply promote current OC Joe Brady.
Still, it could depend on which quarterback is more intriguing to work with. A Mike McDaniel-Josh Allen pairing would be an incredibly tantalizing prospect as McDaniel is still considered one of the premier offensive minds in the league. He could also bring out the best in a weak receiving corps, which could be set to lose former second round pick Keon Coleman after heavy scrutiny.
One thing that could potentially set off rumors could be McDaniel’s record in cold weather games. He has historically been abysmal when temperatures drop below 40 degrees whereas in Buffalo, one has to et used to playing in those conditions every week. The Chargers on the other hand won’t necessarily have those problems.
Red Flags and Competition in Buffalo’s Coaching Search
His playoff record, at 0-2, is also a huge strike against him. While he played one game with Skylar Thompson, it could be seen as inexcusable that he couldn’t get the Dolphins over the hump with the talent he had.
One other caveat that could come into play here is that McDaniel also is up for another head coaching spot with the Raiders. Albeit a much tougher sell, McDaniel could get caught up in both options, leading him to stay with the Chargers.
What this interview and most importantly the Bills’ head coach search could come down to is which direction they want to go in. With a reigning league MVP at the helm, do they want to go all in on offense, which would favor a Mike McDaniel? Or do they want to switch focus to fixing a defense that were solid in terms of takeaways but could not stop the run at all? That is why a former McDaniel disciple in Anthony Weaver has emerged.
Either way, this should come as somewhat of a shock to Chargers fans, but most importantly, offers an intriguing storyline to follow.
McDaniel Interviews for Bills’ Job After Becoming Chargers OC