Ian Rapoport Was Asked If Chargers Will Fire Jim Harbaugh After 0-5 Start

No team in NFL history has overcome an 0-5 start and made the playoffs, so Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh is on pace for his first season without a trip to the playoffs since taking the job and perhaps his first-ever losing season if he can’t turn things around.

But have things gotten so bad that the team might fire him for such a season? That’s the question asked of NFL insider Ian Rapoport on The Insiders today.

Rapoport responded that there’s no sense in the Chargers’ building that Harbaugh is at risk of losing his job. He opened the door for that sense to change in the event that things get worse, but as of now, the team remains confident in the team Harbaugh has assembled.

“My understanding is Jim Harbaugh is not in trouble as of right now,” Rapoport said. “I just don’t get the sense that anything is being considered right now.”

The real culprit?

Chargers fans believe that Harbaugh isn’t to blame for the team’s struggles, particularly as it relates to the offense. For many, the culprit is one man: Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

McDaniel, who spent the last several seasons as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, is in his first year with the Chargers and is believed to be the source of the team’s problems.

“The day they fire McDaniel is the day this team gets turned around. Immediately,” one user on X declared.

“Harbaugh’s job security looks to be safe. Seems if anyone, McDaniel is under most scrutiny,” wrote another.

“Hey Rap, the @chargers need someone who is good at calling plays in 2026. Gase has not been good in over a decade. McDaniel is also washed up. Why would they not give Shane Day, someone they interviewed for OC and knows Herbert really well, a shot to call the plays,” a third wrote.

Rapoport’s suggested replacement was former Dolphins and Jets head coach Adam Gase, which had some Chargers fans ready to pull their hair out. If he’s the best replacement option for McDaniel, the Chargers might be better off keeping him for the time being.

Would a change at offensive coordinator fix the team?