Chargers Parting Ways With Two Offensive Coaches

The Los Angeles Chargers will open the 2026 season with five new offensive coaches after it was revealed earlier this week that running backs coach Kiel McDonald and running game coordinator/tight ends coach Andy Bischoff will not return to the team, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Kiel McDonald departs after just two seasons in Los Angeles. This past season, the Chargers ranked 11th in rushing yards (2,067) on the 14th-most attempts (466), while tying for seventh in yards per carry (4.4) but scoring the third-fewest rushing touchdowns (10). They also produced the fourth-most runs of 20-plus yards (14) and the fifth-most runs of 40-plus yards (3), along with the 12th-most first-down rushes (117). McDonald's unit committed the fifth-fewest rushing fumbles as well (5).

McDonald helped second-year RB Kimani Vidal put together a breakout season, leading the team in rushing with a career-high 643 yards and scoring his first three career touchdowns on 155 carries. Additionally, despite missing eight games, first-round rookie RB Omarion Hampton still rushed for 545 yards and four touchdowns on 124 carries.

Zenitz reported that it’s considered a “strong possibility” that Los Angeles hires Miami Dolphins offensive assistant Max McCaffrey, with running backs coach potentially an option.

McCaffrey is a former NFL wide receiver and has spent the past three seasons on new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel’s staff in Miami. He is the son of former Denver Broncos WR Ed McCaffrey and the older brother of San Francisco 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey and Washington Commanders WR Luke McCaffrey.

Andy Bischoff will also not be brought back by Los Angeles for his third season. He played a role in fifth-round rookie Oronde Gadsden’s stellar year, helping him rank 11th among tight ends with 664 receiving yards on 52 receptions (three touchdowns).

In 2024, the Chargers’ tight end room struggled, with veteran Will Dissly leading the group with 481 yards on 50 receptions and two touchdowns.

Bischoff previously served as tight ends coach for the New York Giants (2022-2023), Houston Texans (2021) and Chicago Bears (2013-2014), and as assistant tight ends coach for the Baltimore Ravens (2018-2020).

Jeff Carpenter, who has been with Los Angeles since 2024 as the offensive quality control/tight ends coach, will remain on staff. Carpenter has multiple years of college coaching experience, but his first NFL opportunity came as a football operations intern with the Houston Texans during 2014 training camp before returning to the organization as a quality control coach in 2015.