After firing John Harbaugh, the Baltimore Ravens have been hard at work looking for a replacement for their former 18-year head coach. They constructed a list of 17 candidates, but two weeks in, they’ve only just completed their first round of interviews.
Now, Baltimore’s list is already down to 14. They were reportedly set to bring Kevin Stefanski back, but he signed with the Atlanta Falcons, and Robert Saleh, a favorite of the Ravens fanbase, signed with the Tennessee Titans.
On Tuesday evening, that list continued to shrink. This time, it came in a bit of a surprising twist. After interviewing with some teams for head coaching positions, including the Baltimore Ravens, McDaniel opted to go the offensive coordinator route. He seems to be headed back to the West Coast, as he's expected to ink a deal with the Los Angeles Chargers to fill their offensive coordinator vacancy.
Former Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel is expected to become the Chargers offensive coordinator barring a change of heart, per @JeffDarlington and me. McDaniel has informed other teams that they’re out, the Chargers clearly want him, and the two sides are having dinner tonight. But the… pic.twitter.com/N7onkCadlK
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 21, 2026
Ravens miss out on Mike McDaniel
McDaniel wasn’t exactly a prime head coaching candidate for some teams. Evidently, many saw him as a fit as an offensive coordinator after a failed tenure with the Miami Dolphins over the past four seasons. Still, the Ravens seemed to be a strong landing spot.
McDaniel has been known for his dominant running game. He was the run game coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 2017 to 2020, and their offensive coordinator in 2021. In those years, he quickly rose to the top of the best young offensive minds in football. Ultimately, he became the head coach of the Dolphins from 2022 to 2025.
With those rosters, McDaniel proved he can get the most out of injured and lackluster offensive units. In San Francisco, he had the likes of Raheem Mostert, Elijah Mitchell, and Jeff Wilson performing at a high level. With Miami, he helped develop De’Von Achane into one of the top backs in the NFL.
In Baltimore, McDaniel would have undoubtedly had the Ravens back at that consistent elite level on offense. They had their moments in 2025, but struggled to play at the level people have grown accustomed to seeing. There’s no telling what heights the likes of Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry would’ve reached with McDaniel leading the way.
With the 42-year-old off the table, the Ravens front office has one less target on their board. They’re kicking off their second round of interviews with Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver, Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. Those are expected to take place this week.