Ravens Still Considering Mike McDaniel Despite Chargers News

The Baltimore Ravens have looked over many candidates for their head coaching vacancy, including former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel is a top commodity this offseason, with numerous teams looking at him as their next head coach or even as an offensive coordinator.

Tom Pelissero of NFL Network has reported, though, that McDaniel is likely to take the offensive coordinator positon with the Los Angeles Chargers.

This puts the plans for the Ravens in danger, but there's still a chance for them to make him their next franchise leader.

The Chargers plan to hire Mike McDaniel as their offensive coordinator, per sources.

McDaniel is still a candidate for the Raiders and Ravens head coaching jobs. But if McDaniel is an OC in 2026, it’s expected to be in L.A. pic.twitter.com/ewS3LKQ10X
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) January 21, 2026

Ravens Must Make McDaniel Head Coach

McDaniel isn't necessarily set to join the Chargers, as he still is a candidate for the Ravens job and also the Las Vegas Raiders' opening, per Pelissero.

The Ravens moved on from long-time head coach John Harbaugh after 18 seasons, a span in which they made the playoffs 12 times, won the AFC North division six times and won Super Bowl XLVII.

McDaniel interviewed for the Ravens job back on Jan. 15, and they could still bring him in if they believe he could lead the franchise for 2026 and beyond.

If not, McDaniel will head out to the west coast and search for a head coaching job in the future elsewhere.

Mike McDaniel Coaching Background

McDaniel spent the past four seasons as the head coach of the Dolphins from 2022 to 2025, compiling a 35-33 record.

He had success his first two seasons, making the playoffs, with a 9-8 record in 2022 and an 11-6 record in 2023, good for second place finishes in the AFC East Division.

Dec 28, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel runs off the field following a win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Dolphins failed to win in the postseason, losing in cold weather on the road to the rival Buffalo Bills in 2022 and then the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023, both in the AFC Wild Card Round.

Miami then had a 2-6 start to the 2024 season and even though they went 6-2 in their next eight games, they dropped the season finale and finished 8-9 and out of the playoffs for the first time under McDaniel.

The Dolphins had another terrible start in 2025, going 2-7 through their first nine games. Despite compiling a better record late in the year en route to a 7-10 finish, the franchise let McDaniel go.

Problems for McDaniel stemmed from the play of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who originally had strong showings in his first two seasons, earning a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension as a result.

Tagovailoa missing five games with injury in 2024 after repeated concussions, then threw 15 interceptions last season and lost his starting spot late in the campaign.

McDaniel has an offensive coaching background, previously working with the San Francisco 49ers as the run game coordinator for four seasons, 2017-20, and as the offensive coordinator in 2021, helping the team make the Super Bowl in the 2019 season

He also was an offensive assistant with the Atlanta Falcons for two seasons, (2015-16), during which they made the Super Bowl in the latter of those two campaigns.

McDaniel also worked as a wide receivers coach with the Cleveland Browns in 2014 and the Washington Redskins in 2013 and two seasons as an offensive assistant in Washington (2011-12)

He coached in the United Football League with the California Redwoods/Sacramento Mountain Lions for two seasons, 2009-10.

McDaniel's first coaching gig was a coaching intern in 2005 with the Denver Broncos and then spent three seasons as an offensive assistant with the Houston Texans from 2006-08.

He played football in college, doing so as a wide receiver for Yale from 2001-04.

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