Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is among a 34-person pool named to the NFL’s revamped accelerator program, the report says, a list obtained by ESPN. McDaniel, who was the Miami Dolphins coach from 2022 to 2025, is on the roster as the program returns at the NFL owners meetings Monday and Tuesday in Orlando, Florida. The league is working on his attendance after the report said he could have a scheduling conflict next week.
The accelerator was created in 2022 with the stated goal of increasing diversity in leadership roles and was paused in 2025. The program returns with a new focus on senior-level executives and coaches more closely aligned with head coach and general manager readiness, the report says. The NFL wrote in a March memo addressed to all 32 teams, “The May accelerator is intended to focus on advancing talent from underrepresented groups,” while remaining open to qualified senior-level candidates of all backgrounds.
The result is a more condensed group, per the report. Sixteen coaches are listed to attend, far fewer than the group of 40 coaches from three years ago, and 18 executives are slated to participate. The league received more than 60 nominations from a selection committee that included at least one sitting NFL head coach and general manager before finalizing the accelerator list, a league source told ESPN.
Many of the coaching participants named in the report have recent head-coaching interview experience, including Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Rams offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase, Detroit Lions passing game coordinator Mike Kafka, Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski, Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde, Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, Vikings quarterbacks coach Josh McCown and Denver Broncos special teams coordinator Darren Rizzi.
Executives on the list cited by ESPN include Glenn Cook and Catherine Hickman of the Cleveland Browns, Brandon Brown of the New York Giants, Josh Williams of the San Francisco 49ers, James Liipfert of the Houston Texans, Mike Bradway of the Chiefs, Lance Newmark of the Washington Commanders and Mike Greenberg of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Five assistant general managers were requested to interview for the Minnesota Vikings’ vacant general manager job: Terrance Gray (Buffalo Bills), Nolan Teasley (Seattle Seahawks), John McKay (Los Angeles Rams), R.J. Gillen (San Francisco 49ers) and Chargers assistant GM Chad Alexander. The report says Alexander declined his Minnesota interview to focus on the Chargers’ 2026 season. ESPN’s Kris Rhim contributed to the report.
