David Njoku's Comments on Justin Herbert, Mike McDaniel Hint at Chargers' Rep in NFL

David Njoku talked about why he wanted to join the Chargers. And he's probably not the only free agent thinking these things.

David Njoku | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

One doesn't need to hear from David Njoku himself to understand why he wanted to join the Los Angeles Chargers. 

Those Chargers have a top-five quarterback with Justin Herbert, for starters. The Jim Harbaugh has them looking like contenders, too. 

Then, of course, there’s that whole Mike McDaniel thing. The Chargers hired the former Miami Dolphins head coach as offensive coordinator, a dramatic departure from Harbaugh’s more traditional Greg Roman-like days. 

Which, if nothing else, sent a giant signal flare into the sky that the Charger will have a modern, explosive offense around Herbert. 

Despite all that, it sure doesn’t hurt to hear from Njoku himself, either. 

Herbert, McDaniel played role in David Njoku signing with Chargers

David Njoku | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Chargers long felt like one of the top landing spots for Njoku. The longer the veteran lasted on the market, especially after the draft, the more it became apparent, too. 

With options dwindling after the draft, Herbert was going to be one of the top passers available for Njoku. He eventually signed a one-year deal worth $8 million with a Chargers team that had already added Charlie Kolar earlier in free agency.

He just said as much during a media sessions at voluntary workouts too: "So, I'm glad that I'm on his side now... That is one of the main reasons why I signed."

Granted, Njoku is coming from the Cleveland Browns, so he hasn’t exactly been in the best situations to date. 

But McDaniel? He’s a big deal. 

"Mike McDaniel is good.," Njoku said. "We see the funny stuff but when it’s time to work, he’s down to work."

That seems to be the vibe about McDaniel wherever he goes. Fun personality, but a modern, unique NFL mind that has other teams scrambling to adapt his concepts and put up similar numbers. 

And where does Njoku see it all going?

"I feel like we can be destructive," Njoku said. "We got the tools, we got the keys, we got the players to do it all. It's up to us to put it all together."

From a Chargers perspective, Njoku’s arrival is a nice wrinkle. The focus remains on Oronde Gadsden, last year’s breakout who quickly developed a strong connection with Herbert when on the field. Kolar is there as a blocker who was hand-picked by McDaniel, too.

In 2026, Njoku can totally be a part of an elite offense, and clearly, all parties see the fit and how it can work…never mind the ceilings within reach. 

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest - OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter