Chargers’ 5 best OC candidates to get Justin Herbert over playoff hump after Greg Roman firing

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Chargers’ 5 best OC candidates to get Justin Herbert over playoff hump after Greg Roman firing

Chris Spiering, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Wed, Jan 14, 2026 ·

5 min read

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The Los Angeles Chargers are in need of a lot of help. This is a franchise that refuses to get out of its own way when the playoffs are happening.

On Sunday night, for the AFC Wild Card, the Chargers managed to score only three points in New England against Mike Vrabel's Patriots . Justin Herbert has fallen to 0-3 in the playoffs, and that isn't counting the 35-32 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022 in Week 18 to go to the postseason. Herbert and the Chargers' offense have excelled under Jim Harbaugh in the two years he has been head coach, but that has only been during the regular season.

On Tuesday, Harbaugh made the tough decision to fire his offensive coordinator, Greg Roman . Roman had been with Harbaugh as his OC at Stanford, the 49ers , and the Chargers. They even lived together in a trailer when the two were hired by the Chargers ahead of the 2024-25 season. It's safe to say, they are pretty much family. Despite that, the decision to let go of Roman could benefit the Chargers in a big way. Roman excelled in the past as a run-game specialist, but it just did not work with the Chargers. With Herbert as the franchise player, the Bolts need a play-caller capable of unlocking him in the playoffs. It is on Harbaugh and the front office to find the right person to lead the charge.

Here are five OC candidates (in no order) with track records that prove they can get Justin Herbert over the playoff hump.

Brian Daboll

Brian Daboll is arguably the best choice for Harbaugh to hire as the offensive coordinator. What Daboll was able to accomplish with Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills helped him land the head coaching job with the New York Giants . His time with the Giants wasn't perfect, but he had a respectable offense with Daniel Jones and Jaxson Dart before he was fired earlier this season.

Daboll has been an OC many times. It started with the Cleveland Browns from 2009-10, followed by the Miami Dolphins (2011) and Kansas City Chiefs (2012). He was the OC for Nick Saban and Alabama in 2017.

If Daboll is hired by the Chargers, look for his primary focus to be unlocking Herbert, similar to how Josh Allen became the superstar that he is. With Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt coming back from injury in 2026 as starting tackles, running that offense is going to be hard to pass up if given the opportunity.

Mike McDaniel

The former Dolphins head coach is going to be a top target for almost every available team needing a head coach and an offensive coordinator. McDaniel will have opportunities to be a head coach for another team, but if that doesn't work out, then the Chargers should be all over him to be the next OC. McDaniel has proven to be an offensive genius with his playcalling. Being a head coach who calls plays is a different job entirely. If thrown back into the offensive coordinator role, McDaniel would excel with this Chargers offense.

McDaniel was the OC for the Niners in 2021 before taking the head coaching job with Miami.

Todd Monken

Todd Monken would be one of those Harbaugh family signings. There is a good chance that John Harbaugh will become a head coach quickly in the NFL after being let go by the Baltimore Ravens . When he does, Todd Monken could follow him to be his OC once again. If Monken does not follow John Harbaugh, then John's brother Jim could be inclined to hire him. This would not shock anyone if it did happen.

Monken is still the OC for the Ravens as of right now. Before he was hired by Baltimore, he was the Georgia Bulldogs' OC and QB coach from 2020-22. Monken has been in the game a long time. He was the OC for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2016-18 and the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The two-time national champion coach has had a ton of success over the years.

Mike McCarthy

The former Green Bay Packers and Dallas Cowboys head coach would be an interesting option for the Chargers. McCarthy is an offensive mind who had a lot of success with Aaron Rodgers and Dak Prescott . Before he was the HC for the Packers, he was an OC for the New Orleans Saints and the 49ers.

McCarthy is looking to get back into coaching. The Chargers could be a good destination for him as the leader of the offense if he is unable to get any head coaching opportunities. A veteran presence could benefit Herbert in the playoffs.

Nate Scheelhaase

Someone who is not a veteran presence, but a rising coach among the talks of the league, is the Los Angeles Rams ' passing game coordinator, Nate Scheelhaase. Scheelhaase has an upcoming interview to be the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach after Mike Tomlin's sudden decision to step down as head coach.

The talk around the league is that Scheelhaase is an under-the-radar coach that teams are interested in stealing from the Rams. This would not be the first time the Chargers have hired from the Rams, as they hired Brandon Staley as head coach after his role as defensive coordinator under Sean McVay.

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