After hiring Mike McDaniel as the offensive coordinator, the Chargers’ front office has confirmed interviews for the DC role. With one key coordinator already poached, Los Angeles Chargers‘ HC Jim Harbaugh is wasting no time in the search for his next defensive play-caller, turning his focus to a familiar face from his Michigan days.

“Chargers interviewed DBs coach Steve Clinkscale for defensive coordinator. Was co-dc with Jesse Minter for his final two years at Michigan,” ESPN’s Kris Rhim reported.

However, Clinkscale, being interviewed, did not come out of nowhere. Once Minter began drawing serious interest for head coaching roles, Clinkscale’s name kept popping up as a logical successor. More importantly, his long-standing connection with Jim Harbaugh adds another layer, making the possibility feel less like a gamble and more like a continuation.

Clinkscale coached defensive backs at Michigan in 2021 before transitioning to a co-defensive coordinator with Minter from 2022 through 2023. While Minter landed the top defensive job with the Bolts, Clinkscale still followed Harbaugh to Los Angeles in 2024. Since then, he has handled the defensive backs room for two straight seasons, quietly building trust.

Meanwhile, Clinkscale is not alone in this race. The Bolts also spoke with Adam Fuller and Dennard Wilson.

Fuller previously worked as a head coach at Assumption and as a defensive coordinator at several programs before finally jumping to the NFL. He joined Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers staff ahead of the 2025 season.

As a safeties coach, he guided a group led by All-Pro Derwin James, who was graded as a top-10 safety on Pro Football Focus in 2025. Alongside him, Fuller rotated Elijah Molden, Tony Jefferson, RJ Mickens, and Alohi Gilman. Each logged over 250 defensive snaps, showing clear trust across the room.

Then there is Dennard Wilson. With over 14 years of coaching experience, he recently took over as the Titans’ defensive coordinator. Despite lingering injury concerns in the locker room, he kept the Titans’ defense among the league’s elite.

In Wilson’s first year calling plays, Tennessee ranked second in total defense, allowing just 311.2 yards per game. That marked their best showing since 2000. They also finished second against the pass and ranked near the top in limiting first downs and yards per play, making him an impossible candidate to ignore.

So, let’s see who Jim Harbaugh chooses ultimately, but for now, the HC has put his faith in Mike McDaniel as the Chargers’ new OC.

Jim Harbaugh hires Mike McDaniel as the new OC

On Monday, the Chargers announced that former Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has signed on as Jim Harbaugh’s new offensive coordinator.

However, there was real noise around the league that he could back out if another head coaching door opened. McDaniel had flirted with the Bills and even sat down for a formal interview with the Silver and Black in Sin City. Still, the Bolts shut it all down through Instagram.

In the first post, fans saw McDaniel in Chargers gear, with the caption, “mike drop.”

Now, the task ahead is serious. McDaniel takes over an offense loaded with firepower, led by Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, and bookend tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt. Under Greg Roman, consistency never showed up. Despite an 11-6 finish and a playoff ticket, Los Angeles ranked 20th in scoring at 21.6 points per game and faded badly.

Because of that, the Wild Card loss hit hard. The Bolts failed to score a touchdown in a 16-3 loss to the Patriots, which triggered Roman’s exit. Still, the biggest pull for McDaniel was clear. Working with Herbert remains one of the league’s most appealing challenges, even with his 0-3 playoff record.

Finally, this pairing comes with patience required. Herbert has lived through coordinator changes before. Since entering the league in 2020, McDaniel will be his fifth OC heading into year seven. So, for Bolt Fam, the wait begins to see if this new combo finally clicks.