Mike McDaniel Skips Another Interview
Mike McDaniel passed on yet another interview opportunity. This time, he was set to meet with the Bills on Friday regarding their vacant head coach position, but he opted not to attend, as reported by The Athletic.
This isn’t the first time McDaniel has declined an interview; he previously turned down an opportunity with the Browns. At this point, it seems his main shot at becoming a head coach lies with the Raiders.
Interestingly, there are whispers that if he doesn’t land the Raiders job, he may end up joining the Chargers as their offensive coordinator, although his contract is still up in the air.
It’s been a bit of a chaotic week for McDaniel after being let go by the Dolphins, where he spent four seasons. He’s been pursuing both coordinator and head coaching roles but seems to be leaning toward directing the Chargers’ offense, rather than just taking one of the five available head coaching positions.
News broke on Friday that he was supposed to meet the Bills in Florida, but he decided to cancel that. The Bills had opened up their head coach search following the departure of Sean McDermott.
Currently, McDaniel has been overlooked by the Browns and Bills, and hasn’t had interviews with the Steelers and Cardinals. This leaves the Raiders as his last chance for a head coaching role in 2026.
There were previous interviews with the Raiders, so he’s somewhat familiar with their setup.
With two promising young offensive players, tight end Brock Bowers, a projected first-round pick in 2024, and running back Ashton Giunty, a likely first-round pick in 2025, it would make sense for him to join an organization like theirs. Also, there’s talk that the team might choose Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick.
Ultimately, leading the Chargers’ offense alongside Justin Herbert could significantly boost his chances for a head coach role in the upcoming few years, which is perhaps a better option.
As for the Bills, their list of potential candidates is narrowing down, still including ex-Giants coach Brian Daboll, offensive coordinator Joe Brady, and an unexpected candidate in Philip Rivers, who played for the Colts this season.
