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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was ruthlessly pressed over offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s future following the team’s 0-7 start in 2026.
McDaniel, 43, joined Harbaugh and the Chargers last offseason after leaving his head coach position with the Miami Dolphins. Heading to the West Coast, McDaniel brought with him an impressive reputation as an offensive-scheme innovator and an authentic personality.
However, neither of those qualities has been seen in Los Angeles, with the Chargers suffering seven consecutive defeats thus far. The Chargers offense is averaging just 14.1 points per game and has struggled to lay a glove on rivals, losing to the Rams 24-9 on Sunday and to the Kansas City Chiefs 22-6 the week before.
Naturally, following such a dismal start, question marks have now been raised about McDaniel’s future with the Chargers. Coach Harbaugh was pressed by reporters.
“We're aware of what the issues are, and we're the only ones that can fix them,” Harbaugh said. He was then asked whether McDaniel will continue calling plays on offense.
“Uh, yes, not gonna address anything. I'm focused on this game and that's my focus,” Harbaugh responded. He was then pressed for his rationale for keeping McDaniel in charge of the offense despite its woeful output.
“Yeah, our motivation is a dedication to getting it changed, getting it fixed,” he added. Harbaugh’s evasiveness in response to the question prompted further probing from the press.
It was there that Harbaugh expressed confidence in his players and coaches to turn the season around. “I said I'm focused on this game. We're gonna go watch this tape, and I believe in our guys, I believe in our players, our coaches,” Harbaugh asserted.
Quarterback Justin Herbert endured another difficult outing, with his latest performance coming under scrutiny following the game. The Chargers quarterback completed 24 of 32 attempts for 257 yards but threw two interceptions, taking his season total to a league-leading 10.
His second turnover summed up his year thus far, as he failed to spot Trent McDuffie sitting underneath Charlie Kolar's route and threw directly into the hands of the Rams cornerback.
It marks the fifth time in seven NFL seasons that Herbert has reached double figures in interceptions. He is now on course to eclipse his career-worst tally of 15, which he recorded during the 2021 campaign.
"Yeah, I mean, that's part of the game, and it's the unfortunate part of where we're at. And I'd love to have played better and made better decisions, but, you know, I haven't, and that's something I have to work on and continue to get better at," Herbert said.
The Chargers host the Houston Texans next Sunday, who, too, are looking to turn their season’s fortunes around.
"Not been in this position that many times either here, you know, as a coach," Harbaugh said. "But we got to be dedicated ourselves to getting this turned. That's where we're at."