Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed what he told offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel when he tried to sell him on the offensive coordinator job ahead of the 2026 season.
Prior to Thursday’s practice, Harbaugh appeared on the Herd with Colin Cowherd Show and said Justin Herbert is what sold McDaniel on the job.
“Justin Herbert,” Harbaugh told Cowherd when he was asked what his sales pitch to McDaniel was.
“The same thing I got so excited about coming here to Los Angeles. When you look at the landscape for proven offensive minds, there were a lot of highly qualified coaches in this hiring cycle, and Mike was at the top of the list.”
Harbaugh went on to say that the addition of McDaniel has been better than he thought so far through the first week of training camp.
All eyes will be on Herbert and McDaniel as they enter the season. The offense has been dormant, especially in the past two seasons, when it matters most in the playoffs. McDaniel is expected to change that significantly, so Herbert can eventually lead the Chargers to their first playoff win in nearly a decade.
So far, that duo is off to a good start. McDaniel has stressed Herbert so far in practice, and he loves how the signal-caller has responded.
“He hasn’t strayed,” McDaniel said about Herbert. “What you’re asking a quarterback to do is not succumb to the compass of results. It’s the process of how we’re doing things, and his investment has been a full immersion into that process.”
Herbert has loved McDaniel’s approach to coaching. The Chargers quarterback said McDaniel has given him a new perspective on creating efficient, explosive offensive plays by encouraging the team to push boundaries, test new ideas and learn from mistakes during practice.
“The more reps, the better,” Herbert said when asked about his evolution in mastering the offense. “In OTAs we did everything we could to master the footwork, master the offense. Now, we’re just going out there and playing fast and letting the ball fly around. And I think that’s what is important in camp, is to just go out there and play football like you’re reacting and playing in a game. And treating those reps like real game reps.”
The 2026 season is a massive one for Herbert, and early indications suggest McDaniel could be the perfect hire to help him reach another level.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh reveals his sales pitch to Mike McDaniel
Reporting by Ricardo Sandoval , Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ricardo Sandoval , Chargers Wire | USA TODAY Network
