Former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Mike McDaniel Update With Chargers, Raiders Hinted Again

Originally posted on Los Angeles Chargers on SI
By Chris Roling | Last updated Jan 25, 2026 3:46 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers continue to play the waiting game with would-be offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

An odd week for the Chargers and Jim Harbaugh’s choice for Justin Herbert’s next coordinator took an odd turn when McDaniel was scheduled for, then cancelled a head-coaching interview with the Buffalo Bills.

After that, a new report revealed that McDaniel hasn’t actually signed a deal with the Chargers.

No need to panic, though. According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, McDaniel remains expected to be the next offensive coordinator for the Chargers…

…unless McDaniel gets the head-coaching job with the Las Vegas Raiders.

Mike McDaniel in the running for Raiders head coach?

According to Rapoport, McDaniel remains “in the mix” for the head-coaching job with the Raiders.

“Mike McDaniel is expected to be the Chargers’ offensive coordinator,” Rapoport said. “Assuming he doesn’t get a head-coaching job. He has pulled out of some of these things, but is still in the mix for the Raiders.”

Those Raiders, though, want to speak with current Denver Broncos passing game coordinator and quarterbacks coach Davis Webb, which means waiting until after the conference title games this weekend.

So…the Chargers are waiting on both the Raiders and the Broncos in the AFC West to find out if they will actually land McDaniel.

The Insiders on @NFLGameDay with @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero: Davis Webb is a strong candidate for the #Raiders; The latest on the #Eagles OC search; The #Steelers hired Mike McCarthy but what about his QB? pic.twitter.com/9q6mWVJXEa
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 25, 2026

On a lesser note, from the sounds of it, the Raiders also want to chat with Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, whose team is still alive, too. There’s potential for McDaniel to be held up until after the Super Bowl, then.

McDaniel did cancel and interview with the Cleveland Browns after meeting with Harbaugh and the Chargers in Los Angeles last week. He then axed the meeting with the Bills.

Even so, the situation perplexed fans, given the lack of a contract and public announcement by the Chargers. Reporting suggested the Chargers informed other candidates that they were moving forward with McDaniel and the team indeed appears to only be focused on the vacant defensive coordinator spot.

The Raiders choosing McDaniel feels unlikely at this point, given the waiting game. And the Chargers appear to be a cushy short-term spot for him before he can reassess the coaching landscape next year. But Las Vegas does clutch the No. 1 pick, too.

One can see why the situation is so perplexing for outsiders, if not entertaining. Chargers fans, though, might be waiting a while before seeing anything official.

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Chargers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: