Jim Harbaugh says Mike McDaniel stays as Chargers offensive coordinator despite 0–4 start

Jim Harbaugh has no plans to change offensive coordinators. After the Los Angeles Chargers fell to 0–4 with Sunday’s 30–23 loss in Seattle, the head coach said Mike McDaniel‘s position is safe and described him as a skilled coach.

The vote of confidence matters because the offense McDaniel was hired to fix has been the main reason for the winless start. Calls for a change have grown louder from fans and former players, and the Chargers have now lost their first four games for the first time in Harbaugh’s three seasons in charge.

Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh said OC Mike McDaniel’s job is “not in jeopardy”.

Story via @krisrhim1:https://t.co/OuC3S0Ba1W

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 5, 2026

“His job is not in jeopardy,” Harbaugh said, adding that the staff would go back to the drawing board and keep improving with the coaches and players it has.

A familiar slow start in Seattle

The loss at Lumen Field followed a pattern. Justin Herbert was intercepted on the first snap and managed only five completions for 36 yards in the first half, when the Seahawks built a 20–6 lead. He was much sharper after the break, throwing a 9-yard touchdown to Kimani Vidal, and Omarion Hampton’s 2-yard run and a Cameron Dicker field goal cut the gap to seven with 2:14 left. Uchenna Nwosu ended the comeback by stripping Herbert on the final drive.

Herbert finished 19 of 31 for 189 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and four sacks. He has now been intercepted six times in four games. The quarterback stood firmly behind his coordinator afterward. “I think (McDaniel) is the greatest and I want to make him proud,” he said.

McDaniel’s first season in Los Angeles

McDaniel joined Harbaugh’s staff this year after four seasons as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, where he went 35–33. Pairing his scheme with Herbert was one of the headline moves of the Chargers’ offseason, but the results have not followed, and injuries are now piling up on the offensive line. Left tackle Rashawn Slater has a high ankle sprain and could go to injured reserve, while right tackle Joe Alt is being evaluated for a neck injury. Follow the latest on the NFL injury report.

Harbaugh did not say whether anything about the play-calling setup would change.

What comes next

The Chargers host the Denver Broncos on Sunday, October 11, at 4:05 p.m. EDT, still looking for their first win. Seattle, now 3–1, hosts the San Francisco 49ers that afternoon.