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INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers looks on during the fourth quarter of the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium on September 20, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)
Mike McDaniel’s immediate future is officially the burning question in Los Angeles as the winless Chargers stumble into their bye week. Head coach Jim Harbaugh finally broke his silence following Sunday’s 22-6 loss to Kansas City, admitting the staff is prepared to “look at everything” to fix a broken offense.
Yet despite heavy speculation that a midseason coaching ax is swinging, McDaniel was spotted right alongside Harbaugh at Tuesday’s practice, signaling the organization might not be ready to pull the trigger just yet.
Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh On Hot Seat? Not Yet
GettyLos Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler suggests the reason might be something entirely different.
“It’s not the Chargers’ style to pay a coach millions to not coach. But as a few industry sources pointed out, a bottom-of-the-league finish would force the Chargers to do some soul-searching, in part because the Chargers don’t bring in as much revenue for their home games as other teams do, because they don’t own their home stadium. Maintaining excitement is important in that regard.”
The Chargers don’t own SoFi Stadium. They pay rent to Stan Kroenke and the Rams. Because they are essentially guests in their own building and second-class citizens in Los Angeles, they get killed on game-day revenue if fans don’t buy tickets.
When the Chargers are bad, opposing fans (like Chiefs, Raiders, or Cowboys fans) completely take over SoFi Stadium, or local LA fans just stay home. Dean Spanos cannot afford an uninspiring, 3-14 product because an empty stadium hits their bottom line infinitely harder than it would a team that owns its venue.
Then, what are they waiting for? It’s much more than just the little-brother dynamic in action when it comes to Chargers coaching change.
Harbaugh, McDaniel, and QB Justin Herbert are all on the same page and have maintained that things are going to work out. Neither one of them has thrown the other under the bus.
So, it becomes tough to point fingers. Add the fact that Harbaugh still has some grace period the Chargers have to spare, since he is coming off an 11-win season.
The five-year, $80 million deal he signed with the Chargers makes it even trickier for Spanos to fire him this early. Not when they might be looking at a possible $16 million per-year number.
Chargers Have a Sacrificial Lamb Named Mike McDaniel
GettyChargers OC Mike McDaniel
“Harbaugh is coming off back-to-back 11-win seasons, which typically fosters a grace period to manage the low points. That might be the case here. But if the Chargers can’t turn things around and are looking at a 3-14 finish, then what?”
Then, Spanos would be forced to take the financial hit and save his franchise. It’s still not that late, though, if the Chargers finally decide to make some serious offensive changes, or fire McDaniel altogether.
Harbaugh has the immunity. McDaniel doesn’t. The Chargers’ defense is holding up its end of the bargain, but McDaniel’s unit cannot buy a third-down conversion or a second-half touchdown, and it just makes the case to fire the OC stronger.
Harbaugh’s recent admission that Los Angeles is “looking into everything” unofficially signaled thatMcDaniel is standing on the trapdoor.
Firing his offensive coordinator is the only move Harbaugh has left to buy himself time with Dean Spanos and protect a $262 million investment in Justin Herbert. McDaniel is serving as the ultimate sacrificial lamb, but if the offense remains broken after the bye, ownership won’t hesitate to turn the crosshairs directly on Harbaugh.
Pankti Parmar Pankti Parmar is a Heavy Contributor. Specializing in college football and the NFL, her reporting work includes extensive coverage for The Sporting News, FanSided’s Ole Hotty Toddy, Fly War Eagle, and Glory Colorado, Notre Dame On SI, Roundtable Sports, Pro Football and Sports Network, and more. More about Pankti Parmar