Condolences to all who bought in on the Chargers’ offense after they hired Mike McDaniel. Thus far, you’ve been bamboozled.
McDaniel’s hiring as Jim Harbaugh’s offensive coordinator was one of the most praised moves of the offseason. After a stellar start to his head coaching tenure in Miami, McDaniel flamed out while his quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, dealt with injuries and limitations, and amid reported concerns over aspects of the team’s culture. But McDaniel left South Beach still highly regarded as an innovative offensive whiz. In Los Angeles, he would be paired with Justin Herbert, a signal-caller with seemingly unlimited talent but never the right supporting cast to succeed when it matters most. The pairing offered visions of Herbert unlocking unseen parts of McDaniel’s playbook while McDaniel could have the seventh-year pro playing like an MVP contender and winning his first career playoff game.
