There’s a new energy in Los Angeles this offseason. Two years after the Chargers brought revived optimism by hiring Jim Harbaugh, they’ve renewed that feeling by hiring Mike McDaniel as their new offensive coordinator.
Whether it’s McDaniel’s sometimes bold personality or the anticipation for the schematic wrinkles he’s sure to bring, his addition to the coaching staff has provided new excitement for a franchise that was last seen watching their quarterback repeatedly hit the turf in an ugly playoff loss to the Patriots.
That playoff loss, and the Chargers inability to get past the wild-card round in recent years, is of course what’s behind an addition such as McDaniel. While Harbaugh has done what he’s always done in turning the Chargers into a postseason team, he has not gotten them far in the playoffs yet. When Harbaugh took over the 49ers in 2011, he led them to three straight NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance. With the Chargers, he’s still trying to help get them a postseason victory.
"The thing that’s not good is we're not playing our best football at the end of the season, in those playoffs,” Harbaugh said when asked how he feels about the state of his Chargers on The Pat McAfee Show. “That focus to [be] better and best in the elimination games.”
"We're not playing our best football in the playoffs..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) February 25, 2026
We've gotta be at our best in those games"@jimharbaugh #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/XOI4dM4yTh
While Harbaugh is typically known for his family’s trademark “enthusiasm unknown to mankind,” bizarre anecdotes and love of football, it’s clear that the Chargers’ inability to win in the postseason through his first two seasons in Los Angeles has tugged at him.
Fortunately for the Chargers, not only did they land a top offensive coordinator, but they also have plenty of cap space to bolster the team. The Chargers currently have the third-most cap space in the league, and though general manager Joe Hortiz emphasized some of that will go toward re-signing current players, they have financial room to legitimately improve their team.
Offensive line will of course be a top priority for the Chargers after Justin Herbert was pummeled throughout the 2025 campaign. There are several good interior offensive linemen available in a free agency class highlighted by Tyler Linderbaum. The Chargers also could opt to bring in another playmaker and bolster their edge rush group as well.
The AFC West will remain tough, but overall, the Chargers are in good position to bolster the roster and finally help Herbert secure his first playoff win. Even as the Chargers change their coaching staff and seek better results, some things will remain the same—like Harbaugh’s signature catchphrase.
As McDaniel put it on The Pat McAfee Show, “I’m firmly aware that nobody, nobody has it better than us. And I’m living that way everyday.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jim Harbaugh Got Brutally Honest on Chargers’ Recent Postseason Woes.
