EL SEGUNDO, Calif — New Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said quarterback Justin Herbert, who has yet to win a playoff game, “hasn’t neared the ceiling to what he’s capable of.”
McDaniel said he could feel the hunger for winning in Herbert’s voice when he spoke to the quarterback on the phone last week.
“We’re both geeked for the future and the possibilities,” McDaniel, the former Miami Dolphins head coach, said during his opening news conference Tuesday.
Coach Jim Harbaugh fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman two days after the Chargers’ loss to the Patriots in the wild-card round. Roman had been Harbaugh’s only offensive coordinator in the NFL — in both San Francisco and Los Angeles — but the offense was inconsistent and lacked creativity as the Chargers scored just one touchdown in two playoff appearances.
Before signing with the Chargers, McDaniel was linked to head coaching vacancies with the Browns, Bills and Raiders and was courted by the Eagles and Buccaneers for their offensive coordinator positions.
“The opportunity to work with coach Harbaugh,” McDaniel said, “that was too good to pass up.”
As the Chargers’ offensive line fell apart in 2025 following season-ending injuries to Pro Bowl tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater, much of the season relied on Herbert making extraordinary plays to remain competitive.
In one of those games, against McDaniel’s Dolphins in Week 6, Herbert escaped a sack attempt from outside linebacker Jaelan Phillips before finding wide receiver Ladd McConkey for a 42-yard gain that effectively ended the game.
“That’s when I knew,” McDaniel joked.
While he noted that play was an example of Herbert’s greatness, McDaniel said his goal is to design an offense built on efficiency and structure.
“Not relying too heavily on Justin’s ability to do above and beyond, I think, is critical to maximize those types of opportunities,” McDaniel said. “That’ll be one of the first things that we’ll try to do, is take a little off his plate so that he is free to do that when his greatness is required.”
In four seasons in Miami, McDaniel’s explosive offenses influenced others around the NFL. In his first year, the Dolphins were sixth in total yards — the first time Miami ranked in the top 10 since 1995. The Dolphins led the NFL in total offense in 2023 as quarterback Tua Tagovailoa finished with a league-leading 4,624 passing yards and received his only Pro Bowl selection.
Those units, however, were built on speed and run-pass option plays utilizing wide receivers Tyreek Hill (4.29 40-yard dash) and Jaylen Waddle (4.37) and running back De’Von Achane (4.29). Miami ranked sixth in RPO usage for each of McDaniel’s first three seasons; running those plays more in each season with the Dolphins than he had ever run in one season as the 49ers’ offensive coordinator.
McDaniel said that style of offense reflected his personnel, not a rigid offensive identity.
“I think solving different problems affords you different sorts of solutions,” McDaniel said. “Ultimately our Chargers offense will look different than any offense that I’ve coached before or any offense in the league.”
McDaniel’s offense regressed significantly over his final two seasons in Miami as the Dolphins missed the playoffs. This past season, McDaniel benched Tagovailoa and ultimately was fired with a 35-33 record and 0-2 in the postseason.
“It wasn’t all rosy, but the results and what you get from them can be for you — chasing, finding your best self as you move forward,” McDaniel said. “… So, I’ll take all those lessons and apply them as I move forward in a very productive way.”
