Chargers' Mike Mcdaniel Wants To Help Justin Herbert Achieve His Full Potential

Just for illustration his famously inventive offenses, Mike McDaniel had galore options.

He interviewed for respective caput coaching jobs aft his four-year tenure successful complaint of nan Miami Dolphins ended this month, and he could person been an violative coordinator beautiful overmuch anyplace he pleased.

McDaniel still wants to beryllium a caput coach again someday, but he chose to subordinate nan Chargers alongside Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert because nan operation of time, spot and unit seemed cleanable for this idiosyncratic coach who besides happens to beryllium 1 of nan apical violative minds successful football.

“It didn’t return agelong for maine to consciousness this is what I was looking for,” nan Chargers’ caller violative coordinator said Tuesday. “You conscionable want to beryllium a portion of a quiet statement pinch like-minded shot group that are doing thing and everything to win. And for me, nan opportunity to activity pinch coach Harbaugh was excessively bully to walk up. It felt for illustration I was highly fortunate to beryllium afforded this opportunity.”

Harbaugh and nan Chargers look arsenic fortunate to onshore McDaniel, an perfect campaigner for nan important occupation of directing Herbert’s profession into thing worthy of his prodigious talent.

In his introductory news conference, McDaniel instantly went into awesome item astir what he wants to do for Herbert, who has thrown for 24,820 yards and 163 touchdowns while emerging arsenic 1 of nan NFL’s apical passers successful his six seasons pinch nan Chargers.

“You person a competitory subordinate that each and each twelvemonth is trying to get amended astatine his craft, (but) I deliberation he hasn’t neared nan ceiling to what he’s tin of,” McDaniel said.

Herbert has consistently shined contempt playing pinch 3 imperishable caput coaches, 4 violative coordinators and a changing postulation of playmakers and linemen astir him.

Chargers backmost Justin Herbert scrambles against nan New England Patriots successful nan AFC wild-card playoffs connected Jan. 11.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Despite playing successful immoderate violative schemes perceived to beryllium comparatively primitive by modern NFL standards, peculiarly successful nan past 2 years nether Harbaugh and fired coordinator Greg Roman, Herbert has often carried nan Chargers done his improvisation, limb spot and sheer competitory will.

Essentially, McDaniel doesn’t want Herbert to person to activity truthful hard.

“There’s a batch of unthinkable plays Justin has made,” McDaniel said. “He’s firmly capable, and sometimes arsenic a coach you tin trust upon that a small excessively much. … It tin beryllium taxing complete clip for a subordinate to necessitate an unthinkable play excessively often, truthful you effort to return it disconnected of him by creating immoderate low-cost, high-reward discourtesy that he’s firmly tin of doing, but possibly a subordinate of lesser talent would beryllium tin of doing arsenic well.”

McDaniel said nan Dolphins’ struggles erstwhile Tua Tagovailoa was retired pinch injuries reinforced his determination to support Herbert safer. The Chargers backmost took 96 sacks successful nan past 2 seasons.

“He has an unthinkable expertise to do off-schedule (throws),” McDaniel said. “I deliberation I’ll beryllium firmly coaching distant from nan off-schedule worldly astatine nan beforehand end, because he tin ever spell backmost to that comfortableness area arsenic you activity retired different things. I deliberation a superior attraction connected really to person discourtesy without putting him successful a susceptible position will beryllium a starting point, and we’ll extrapolate from there.”

McDaniel and Herbert said past week, and nan backmost is fresh to work.

“He was successful precocious spirits and conscionable excited astir attacking something,” McDaniel said. “You suffer successful nan playoffs successful nan first round, it’s a batch of activity that you consciousness benignant of for illustration (left you with) an quiet stomach. So that hunger, I could perceive successful his voice.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh attends Mike McDaniel’s introductory news convention connected Tuesday.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

McDaniel is joining a bully squad that needed a spark aft consecutive 11-6 seasons followed by 2 playoff losses nether Harbaugh. The Chargers person needed that spark to subordinate nan NFL’s precocious echelon ever since they moved northbound from San Diego, posting six winning records complete 9 years pinch conscionable 1 postseason victory.

McDaniel could beryllium nan constituent to put nan Chargers into title contention if this business pinch Harbaugh flourishes. The 42-year-old coordinator deed it disconnected instantly pinch his famously square-looking caller boss.

“I consciousness for illustration we’re nan aforesaid guy,” McDaniel said while Harbaugh laughed astatine nan backmost of nan room. “He’s conscionable taller. No, I deliberation 1 point we stock is that Jim has ne'er patterned himself aft somebody. He’s his ain person, and I would opportunity that hopefully I would beryllium described successful a akin fashion. Who knows? I mightiness beryllium a 100% Dockers coach now.”

The fashion-forward McDaniel’s statement was moreover funnier because he delivered it while wearing what appeared to beryllium a $12,000 Bottega Veneta woven leather jacket.

The chance to study from Harbaugh was important successful his decision, but McDaniel besides paid his respect to past Chargers coaches Sid Gillman and Don Coryell, 2 violative innovators who changed shot forever.

“There was a batch that I recovered very attractive,” McDaniel said. “I was fortunate to person immoderate opportunities, but it started pinch coach Harbaugh. To beryllium a portion of an statement that has nan bequest of Sid and Air Coryell, I was ace attracted to. Got a backmost who I’ve ever admired, and conscionable a batch of young players. A awesome business for my family and maine to spell to nan adjacent chapter.”

Beacham writes for nan Associated Press.