For weeks, I’ve maintained that the Los Angeles Chargers’ most impactful offseason move was hiring Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator.
Why? Because it pairs Justin Herbert with a coordinator capable of unlocking his full potential. When you have a quarterback as gifted as Herbert, explosive results are almost inevitable given the right guidance.
Moreover, looking at McDaniel’s history with quarterbacks, Herbert represents a rare talent who could easily capture an MVP award in a system tailored to his strengths. And it turns out I’m not the only one captivated by this pairing.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer shares that enthusiasm. “I’m really intrigued by the Mike McDaniel–Justin Herbert union in Los Angeles,” Breer wrote. “Here’s a list of the full-time starting QBs McDaniel has worked with in the NFL: Matt Schaub, Donovan McNabb, Rex Grossman, Robert Griffin III, Brian Hoyer, Matt Ryan, Jimmy Garoppolo, Brock Purdy and Tua Tagovailoa. There are some really good players in there, and Ryan won an MVP in the years McDaniel was in Atlanta. But I think Herbert’s a different animal for him versus what he’s had at the position in the past.”
What can we expect from Herbert under McDaniel? For starters, Herbert hasn’t thrown for over 4,000 yards in a season since 2022, and he hasn’t recorded 30 passing touchdowns since 2021. I anticipate both milestones will be reached in 2026.
Turnovers were a concern last season—Herbert threw 13 interceptions and lost seven fumbles. McDaniel will surely aim to tighten that up, but there’s no denying that an elite quarterback is waiting to be unleashed under his guidance.
The big question: Can McDaniel extract the best from Herbert? He succeeded with Tua Tagovailoa, but as Breer noted, Herbert is a completely different caliber of player.
What the 2026 season holds for Chargers fans is fascinating. It might finally be the year the handbrake comes off, allowing Herbert to become the franchise quarterback many believe he’s destined to be.