Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has gotten off to a surprisingly poor start with the Los Angeles Chargers.
McDaniel, who first called plays with the Miami Dolphins, has had difficulty replicating his previous NFL success with the Chargers. The Dolphins and the Chargers are currently the only two teams that have yet to win a game this season, but both teams entered the season with a different level of expectations.
As a result, McDaniel’s job status appears uncertain, and after Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh previously expressed that McDaniel was not in danger of getting fired, that stance appears to have changed.
Former Miami Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel Handed Strong Message by Jim Harbaugh
As the Los Angeles Chargers headed into their bye week, head coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about the status of former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Harbaugh said, “We’re looking into everything at this point, and that process is ongoing … 0-6 does not give the privilege to rule out anything at this point.”
“We’re looking into everything at this point”
“0-6 does not give the privilege to rule out anything at this point”
Harbaugh has been non-committal on McDaniel’s role on the Chargers since their Week 6 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs, where the Chargers offense did not score a touchdown. During his post-game press conference, Harbaugh said, “We’re going to look at everything.The job I’m doing, it starts with me. We’ll watch this and get with our offensive coaches. I see the effort, I see the work being put in in the meetings, on the practice field, and to get that to translate to the field is what’s necessary. Feel bad for our players, our team, our coaches, our fans. And [offense] needs to be addressed.”
The Chargers currently have the third-worst offense in the NFL in points per game. Dating back to his Dolphins tenure, this would be the third consecutive season in which Mike McDaniel has a below-average offense. Last season, Miami’s offense finished 25th in the NFL after finishing 22nd in 2024. Previously, Miami posted back-to-back top-10 scoring offenses with McDaniel in 2022 and 2023.
Reaction to Harbaugh’s Comments on Mike McDaniel
Regarding Harbaugh’s comments, FanSided’s Alexander Insdorf wrote: “Buzz from multiple reporters about a potential firing of McDaniel percolated throughout the weekend. Both PFT’s Mike Florio and NFL insider Ian Rapoport floated the possibility of passing game specialist Adam Gase taking over as Los Angeles’ OC.
Nothing is imminent as the Chargers head into their BYE week. But Harbaugh has had multiple opportunities to throw his support behind McDaniel. It speaks volumes that he’s decided not to.
Once the savior of the Chargers’ offseason, McDaniel’s status as LA’s offensive coordinator seems tenuous at best. Even if the former Dolphins head coach does survive for the next few weeks, it’s becoming difficult to see him lasting until the end of the season. Team health is working against McDaniel’s chances, but the offense never found momentum prior to the injuries reaching their breaking point two weeks ago.”
McDaniel’s potential replacement, Adam Gase, was also a head coach for the Miami Dolphins. However, after a coaching tenure with the New York Jets, Gase was then out of the NFL before joining Mike McDaniel’s offensive staff in 2026. He currently serves as the Chargers’ passing game specialist. The Chargers currently have the third-worst passing offense in the NFL in yards per game.
Ex-Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel Handed Strong Message Amid Firing Rumors