Why Harbaugh & McDaniel are taking a different approach w/ Justin Herbert

El SEGUNDO, Calif. — The two words most closely associated with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel and quarterback Justin Herbert this offseason have been “footwork” and “smart.”

Whether it is Jim Harbaugh describing both men as smart or the Chargers’ coaching staff emphasizing Herbert’s footwork during OTAs and minicamp, those two themes have defined the early stages of McDaniel’s offense.

“Just the patternization in Mike McDaniel’s system required some footwork changes. Been working very hard at those, and as you would expect, Justin has picked it up,” Harbaugh said snapping of his fingers.

“There’s been a lot of footwork. Just working harder and smarter, both of those two things. Some guys you have to say, ‘Woah,’ and some guys you have to say, ‘Sic’ em.’ You’d rather have the guys where you have to say, ‘Woah,'” Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh was asked whether the offense would still have his stamp on it, but the former NFL quarterback made it clear that this is McDaniel’s system and that the organization is fully behind him.

McDaniel is taking a different approach.

“We just kind of took the old formula out, tore it up and approached it with a different focus,” McDaniel said.

Since the start of OTAs and minicamp, the Chargers have carefully managed Herbert’s throwing workload. The goal has been to limit unnecessary throws this early in the offseason.

“I’ve thrown a lot of footballs, and it’s May and June,” Herbert said. “I didn’t think it was as necessary to throw as much now.”

When media members attended OTA practices, Herbert was often seen working through footwork drills with a water-filled medicine ball rather than throwing passes.

He also did not participate in 11-on-11 drills during OTAs unless he was handing the ball off.

There is a method behind McDaniel’s approach.

“You want to talk about a way to make a quarterback focus on footwork,” McDaniel said. “Don’t allow him to throw a football, because a lot of times you can say until you’re blue in the face, I don’t care where the ball location is right now. We need to work on this. Natural competitors can get in their own way. So, it’s been a very healthy, very productive, well-intentioned attack on the process.”

Jessica Cryderman – The Sporting Tribune

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) engages in quarterback drills during Chargers organized team activities at the Bolt on Tuesday, June 2nd in El Segundo, CA.

Another notable change involves Herbert’s stance in the shotgun. Previously, he lined up with his right foot slightly ahead of his left. McDaniel has encouraged him to reverse that alignment.

McDaniel recalled on Wednesday that he noticed both Brett Favre in 2005 and Tom Brady in 2007 standing in the shotgun with their left foot forward rather than their right.

“I don’t mandate it, but with Justin I really just showed him where I thought it would be advantageous,” McDaniel said. “He didn’t blink for a second and was excited to attack it. When you have players like that that go after their craft in that way, you can do things, change things that have been standardized in their game for years and you can do it with reasonable expectations and higher performance.”

McDaniel was adamant that he is not trying to change Herbert as a quarterback. Instead, he is trying to help him maximize his potential.

“It wasn’t like I was trying fix something that was like, ‘This is broke,'” McDaniel said Wednesday. “We’re looking at a player that is very, very talented and top tier in achievement his whole career. [We want to] try to take him to the next level where he can own certain things and really get the ball to his teammates as fast as possible and help efficiency of the offense.”

Herbert understands the vision.

“Mike just talked about how he saw the quarterback position being played and why he thought that was the best way,” Herbert said Wednesday. “Jumped on board and got as many reps as we could and it’s been going good so far.”

It may only be June, as Herbert noted, but he and McDaniel already appear to be on the same page.

McDaniel said he previously implemented similar concepts in Washington with Kirk Cousins and Robert Griffin III. He later used them in Atlanta with Matt Ryan, who won NFL MVP in 2016.

In Miami, McDaniel said he implemented the concepts in reverse because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is left-handed. Tagovailoa thrived in the offense and emerged as an MVP candidate in 2023, completing 69 percent of his passes for 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns.

Herbert is beginning to see what the offense can become after extensive conversations with McDaniel, including a presentation outlining what the 2026 Chargers offense could look like under his system.

“You want to get the ball in a position where the receivers can run with it,” Herbert said. “Getting the ball out earlier and in timing and rhythm allows them to do that. I think we’ve got the guys who are explosive and able to make guys miss. The more that I can do that, the better we’ll be.”

Harbaugh and McDaniel are taking a smart approach with Herbert, especially considering what he endured last season. The Chargers quarterback was pressured a league-high 263 times, hit 106 times, and sacked 54 times.

“Justin throwing, in mid-season form, in April and May and June has been the way we’ve done it,” Harbaugh said. “Hundreds of balls per practice. We’re going to try it a different way this year and have tried it a different way this year. I think it’s smarter.”

“The way we’ve done it” is a key phrase. While that approach helped produce a 22-12 record over the last two seasons, it has also resulted in disappointing offensive performances at critical moments.

Sometimes changing the process can help an offense, a quarterback, and ultimately the team when the games matter most.

Harbaugh himself went against “the way we’ve done it” when he hired McDaniel as his offensive coordinator.

“We’ve got a plan, nice progression to where he’s ramping up to training camp and the first game of the season and the entire season,” Harbaugh said. “He’s in a ramp up.”

Ric Tapia – The Sporting Tribune

Mike McDaniels and Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers talk during offseason organized team activities at The Bolt on May 26, 2026 in El Segundo, California.

Coaches often say every day is important, but the Chargers are treating Herbert differently this offseason. Right now, the focus is on fundamentals, learning the offense, and ensuring a smooth transition into McDaniel’s system.

More importantly, it is about helping Herbert play his best football when it matters most.

“You want to be at your best, especially during those elimination games,” Herbert said. “It’s what we’re working for now, and talking in the meeting room, so it’s been really good to work with them so far.”

The Chargers are 0-3 in the playoffs during the Herbert era, including an 0-2 mark under Harbaugh. That reality is a major reason why the organization is not conducting business as usual.

Smart and footwork have been the two words surrounding Herbert throughout the offseason. Everything the Chargers are doing is centered on helping him become more comfortable in the offense and getting the most out of both him and the unit when it is needed most.

For now, the team is being patient and embracing a different approach, one Herbert appears fully committed to.

“I’m going to do everything I can to get the footwork ready and get the offense down,” Herbert said. “The throws will be there. We’ve got plenty of time in camp … so it’s been smart by everyone just taking it easy.”

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