Mike McDaniel didn’t want to stay in the AFC East.

New Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel had a fascinating reason for removing himself from the Buffalo Bills’ head coaching search.

Last week, the Buffalo Bills stunned the NFL by firing Sean McDermott after their heartbreaking loss to the Denver Broncos in the AFC Divisional Round. They interviewed former Pro Bowl quarterback Philip Rivers for the vacancy, but he recently removed himself from consideration.

A week ago, news emerged that the Los Angeles Chargers would hire McDaniel as their offensive coordinator. On Monday, the AFC West club finally confirmed that McDaniel is LA-bound:


McDaniel had an interview lined up for the Bills’ HC vacancy last week, but canceled it before being named the new Chargers’ offensive coordinator.

According to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer, word is that the ex-Miami Dolphins head coach “may have felt a little uneasy about interviewing for the Bills’ job so soon after taking the Chargers’ OC job.”

McDaniel replaces Greg Roman, whom Jim Harbaugh fired after the Chargers’ Wild Card Round loss to the New England Patriots. As for the Bills, the difficult search to find McDermott’s replacement continues.

Mike McDaniel Should Re-Emerge As A Top Head Coaching Candidate In 2027

Mike McDaniel talking to reportersMike McDaniel (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

McDaniel has cemented himself as one of the best young, offensive-minded coaches in the game. Say what you want about the end of his tenure in Miami, but he was the first coach in over two decades to lead the long-struggling franchise to multiple appearances.

Tua Tagovailoa’s injury history and inconsistent production made it hard for McDaniel to get the most out of his offense.

Fortunately, he goes to an LA team with an elite quarterback (Justin Herbert), a rock-solid offensive line (Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt will be healthy next year) and a deep set of skill position players (Omarion Hampton, Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston).

If McDaniel makes the most of a star-studded LA offense, he’ll immediately re-emerge as a top candidate in the 2027 HC hiring cycle. He had some success on a mediocre Miami team, now we get to see what he can do on one of the league’s most explosive offenses.