Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel have not coached a game together yet. The Chargers’ new offensive partnership is just getting underway. This week, they were spotted together in Los Angeles, offering an early look at a collaboration the organization is counting on.
Jim Harbaugh and Mike McDaniel Spotted Together as Chargers Begin Offensive Reset
Harbaugh and McDaniel attended Thursday night’s Lakers–Mavericks game at Crypto.com Arena. Yahoo Sports shared a photo of the two inside the arena concourse. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin posted a separate image of them seated courtside in conversation.
The sighting comes after an already busy offseason. The Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and hired McDaniel, who was let go by the Miami Dolphins following the 2025 season. Harbaugh has taken the Chargers to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons. But the offense slipped last year. They averaged two fewer points per game than it did in 2024 and finished 27th in PFSN’s OFFi Metric.
The Chargers closed 2025 with an 11–6 record before losing in the Wild Card round. Late-season struggles on offense were evident, including a three-game stretch to end the year in which they scored 22 total points.
McDaniel’s track record suggests schematic upside. The Dolphins went 8–9 in 2025 and missed the postseason, yet their offense ranked 19th in PFSN’s OFFi Metric despite quarterback instability and roster limitations. McDaniel handled play-calling duties and previously oversaw a system that helped Tua Tagovailoa lead the league in passing two seasons earlier.
DRAFT SEASON: PFSN’s FREE Mock Draft Simulator
The contrast between the two units is notable. Miami’s 19th-place OFFi finish came with fewer blue-chip skill players than the Chargers have assembled. The Chargers, meanwhile, ranked 27th despite significant draft investment around Herbert.
Harbaugh’s offensive philosophy has traditionally emphasized physicality and efficiency in the run game. McDaniel’s background leans toward motion, spacing, and defined reads for the quarterback. The expectation is that those approaches can complement one another.
If the Chargers climb from 27th into the top half of the league in offensive efficiency, that would represent measurable progress. A push toward the top 10 would move them closer to the AFC’s elite tier.
BE AN NFL GM: PFSN’s FREE Ultimate GM Simulator
So much of this will come down to maximizing quarterback Justin Herbert. The Chargers have the talent to reach an elite offensive tier, with running back Omarion Hampton, pass catchers Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston, and premier tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.
Neither a courtside photo nor a mid-game conversation guarantees production. It does show that Harbaugh and McDaniel are aligned early in the offseason, working in tandem as the Chargers attempt to recalibrate an offense that underachieved relative to its talent.
