Getty

INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 13: Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel of the Los Angeles Chargers on the sidelines during a 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium on September 13, 2026 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Miami Dolphins parted ways with Mike McDaniel after last season, but he seemed like the type of guy who would land on his feet.

He wasn’t going to get another head coaching job immediately, but the offensive guru got a gig that made sense — offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers.

There was immediate hype to see what McDaniel could do with QB Justin Herbert and RB Omarion Hampton.

Turns out, McDaniel hasn’t done much with his talented offensive players at all.

It could mean the end of McDaniel’s employment with the Chargers much quicker than anyone could imagine.

Is Mike McDaniel Getting Fired?

McDaniel is trending toward getting fired after the Chargers lost on Sunday to drop to 0-6 for the season.

They have a Week 7 bye week, so it would be the logical time for the Chargers to make a change.

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote on Sunday night that things are indeed moving in that direction.

“The next move very well could be a separation from employment of first-year offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel,” Florio writes. “There’s a growing buzz that the Chargers will be making that move, soon. Pass game specialist Adam Gase, a former head coach of the Jets and Dolphins, is expected to take over, if McDaniel is fired.”

Herbert has been a bit of an enigma at times in his NFL career, but the Chargers’ offense has never struggled to this extent.

“The Chargers have scored 90 points in six games, an average of 15.0 points per game,” Florio writes. “It’s not done yet, but it’s the move that many are expecting to see. Especially with the Chargers limping into their annual week off — which will be followed by a ‘road’ game in their home stadium, against the 2-4 Rams.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh likely needs to do something to help protect his own job. Moving on from McDaniel would make sense.

Mike McDaniel’s Downfall

It’s not all that long ago that McDaniel was a trendy coach with the San Francisco 49ers, and then a hotshot head coach leading the Dolphins offense to lots of points and yards.

But by the end of his time in Miami, McDaniel struggled to keep Tua Tagovailoa producing, and both of them are gone now.

Tagovailoa is the backup QB in Atlanta. McDaniel is the OC on the outs with the Chargers.

Neither has found success away from the Dolphins, and both are going to have to work just to prove they deserve real chances again in the NFL. It’s not a great time for McDaniel, that’s for sure.

Billy Heyen Billy Heyen is a Heavy contributor with focus on the NFL and MLB. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who spent his senior year following Jim Boeheim’s basketball team around the country. His reporting work has also included extensive work for The Sporting News, the Sandusky Register and Rochester’s Democrat & Chronicle. Adventures in sports writing have also led to in-person coverage of the Buffalo Sabres, Cleveland Guardians, U.S. men’s national soccer team and a variety of minor league baseball stories. More about Billy Heyen