3 Successors for Jim Harbaugh as Chargers Coach Seat Heats Up

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-7.

The 2026 season has been an absolute nightmare for the franchise.

Head coach Jim Harbaugh, who signed a five-year, $80 million contract after the 2025 season, is now firmly on the hot seat.

Harbaugh led the Chargers to two straight 11-6 seasons and playoff appearances in his first two years.

But the current collapse has changed everything.

The offense looks inept under offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Quarterback Justin Herbert is having the worst season of his career.

Through seven games, Herbert has thrown for 1,398 yards with five touchdowns and a league-high ten interceptions.

He has gone without a touchdown pass in each of the last two games.

In a 24-9 loss to the Rams, Herbert completed 24 of 32 passes for 257 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions.

Rams safety Quentin Lake, who intercepted Herbert in that game, offered a blunt critique on the St. Brown Podcast.

“He was throwing deli meat out there,” Lake said.

“He’s seeing ghosts. I don’t know what’s going on, but we knew we were gonna get a couple. At least one.”

When asked about Lake’s remarks, Herbert said he had not heard them.

“I haven’t looked into it, haven’t heard anything about it, so I can’t really make a comment about it,” Herbert told reporters.

Harbaugh defended his quarterback.

“As far as anybody’s opinion I don’t see that,” Harbaugh told reporters.

“Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. Not what I see.”

Harbaugh added that he thought Herbert “did his job exceptionally well,” while acknowledging “two throws he would have liked to have back.”

The disconnect between the team’s performance and its public messaging has been striking.

As one NBC Sports report noted, “They’ve lost seven and won none; at times, they sound like they’ve won seven and lost none.”

Harbaugh still has two years left on his contract.

But if it becomes obvious that he has lost the locker room and the team has quit on him, the Chargers may have no other choice than to move on.

Harbaugh’s last NFL stint ended abruptly after an 8-8 season with the San Francisco 49ers.

That happened even though he had led the team to two NFC Championship appearances and one Super Bowl appearance in his first three seasons.

Crazy things can happen in the NFL.

If the Chargers continue to be absolutely awful, Harbaugh could be let go.

Here are the three candidates who could replace him.

MIKE TOMLIN

It has been weird this season to watch Pittsburgh Steelers games and not see Mike Tomlin on the sideline.

His time there clearly ran its course.

Tomlin had a great run with the Steelers, including one Super Bowl win.

He never had a losing season in Pittsburgh.

If Tomlin does want to return to coaching next season, the Chargers would be a pretty appetizing situation.

While Herbert is struggling this year, he has shown that he can be an elite NFL quarterback.

That is one less thing Tomlin would have to worry about.

Tomlin runs a tight ship.

If he could come in, shake things up a bit, and change the culture, that could be all the Chargers need to get back on track.

KLIFF KINGSBURY