Oct 21, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Report: Pass-rusher Khalil Mack to return in 2025

Nine-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Khalil Mack will return for his 12th NFL season in 2025, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The veteran linebacker, who turns 34 next month, is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Playing his third season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, he tallied six sacks and 15 quarterback hits in 16 starts.

Mack, the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, told reporters he was considering retirement after the Chargers’ 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game.

“Man, it’s a lot of different thoughts in my head right now,” he said on Jan. 12. “I can’t really speak on a definitive decision in terms of what I’m going to do because I don’t know if I’m going to play football moving forward, so there’s some things I gotta talk through with my wife, spend some time with my kids and try not to make a rash decision after a loss.”

During the same interview, Mack said he believed his best chance to win is with the Chargers.

“As long as Justin Herbert is your quarterback. You got (safety) Derwin James and all these guys that love the game of football. And Jim Harbaugh coaching?” Mack said. “You know you always have a chance to win. Yeah, that’s a no-brainer.”

Mack recorded two sacks against the Texans in his fifth career playoff game, but his teams have yet to win a playoff game in five tries.

Mack was named to his ninth Pro Bowl this season and is also a three-time All-Pro first-teamer (2015, 2016, 2018).

In 167 career games (166 starts) for the then-Oakland Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-21) and Chargers (2022-24), Mack has compiled 107.5 sacks, which ranks tied for 32nd all-time. He has 630 tackles (142 for loss), 32 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) before action against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Chargers sign RB Ezekiel Elliott to practice squad

Running back Ezekiel Elliott joined the practice squad of the Los Angeles Chargers after wide receiver Laviska Shenault was released on Tuesday.

Elliott, 29, was released by the Dallas Cowboys on New Year’s Eve, ending his second stint with the team. The Chargers are headed to the postseason, starting with a visit to Houston in the wild-card round on Saturday.

“Competitors welcome at the Los Angeles Chargers,” coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday. “Great to see him. He’s here and he’ll start having at it.”

Elliott and Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa were teammates at Ohio State before they entered the NFL on back-to-back selections in the top five of the 2016 draft. Bosa went No. 3 before the Cowboys took Elliott fourth.

Elliott has six career playoff appearances, all with Dallas from 2016-22, and 393 rushing yards with two TDs in his postseason career.

The Chargers’ depth chart at running back was a concern down the stretch.

J.K. Dobbins missed four games with a knee sprain but returned while No. 2 back Gus Edwards is dealing with an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

Dobbins led the team with 905 rushing yards during the regular season, followed by Edwards with 365 and then quarterback Justin Herbert with 306. The next-leading running back was Kimani Vidal with just 155 yards.

Dallas released Elliott with one game remaining in the regular season. He ranks third in Cowboys history with 8,488 career rushing yards, behind only Tony Dorsett (12,036) and the NFL rushing king Emmitt Smith, who had 17,162 of his record 18,355 yards in a Dallas uniform.

Elliott rushed for just 226 yards and three touchdowns on 74 carries for Dallas this season while also catching 12 passes for 69 yards. The two-time NFL rushing leader gained at least 979 yards in each of his first six seasons before his yardage began to spiral downward.

Elliott had 876 rushing yards in 2022 before the Cowboys released him following the season. He played for the New England Patriots in 2023 and rushed for 642 yards and three touchdowns.

This season, Elliott returned to Dallas. He rushed for 40 yards in the season-opening victory against the Cleveland Browns but reached 30 just twice more before being released.

–Field Level Media

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (15) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Reports: Chargers signing RB Ezekiel Elliott

The Los Angeles Chargers are signing running back Ezekiel Elliott to their practice squad, according to multiple reports.

Elliott, 29, was released by the Dallas Cowboys on New Year’s Eve so the nine-year veteran had an opportunity to latch on with a playoff team. That team appears to be the Chargers, who play at Houston in the wild-card round on Saturday.

The Chargers’ depth chart at running back has been tested by injuries throughout the season. While J.K. Dobbins returned last month after missing four games with a knee sprain, No. 2 back Gus Edwards is dealing with an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the past two games.

Dobbins led the team with 905 rushing yards during the regular season, followed by Edwards with 365 and then quarterback Justin Herbert with 306. The next-leading running back was Kimani Vidal with just 155 yards.

Dallas released Elliott with one game remaining in the regular season. He ranks third in Cowboys history with 8,488 career rushing yards, behind only Tony Dorsett (12,036) and the NFL all-time leading rusher in Emmitt Smith, who had 17,162 of his 18,355 yards in a Dallas uniform.

Elliott rushed for just 226 yards and three touchdowns on 74 carries for Dallas this season while also catching 12 passes for 69 yards. He gained at least 979 yards in each of his first six seasons before his yardage began to spiral downward.

Elliott had 876 rushing yards in 2022 before the Cowboys released him following the season. He played for the New England Patriots in 2023 and rushed for 642 yards and three touchdowns.

This season, Elliott returned to Dallas. He rushed for 40 yards in the season-opening victory against the Cleveland Browns but reached 30 just twice more before being released.

–Field Level Media

Jan 5, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Jack Jones (18) looks to tackle Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) during the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Chargers beat Raiders to lock up No. 5 seed in AFC

Quentin Johnston hauled in a career-high 13 receptions for 186 yards, leading the Los Angeles Chargers to a 34-20 win over the host Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.

Justin Herbert threw for 346 yards and two touchdowns, completing 28 of 36 passes en route to a 125.2 passer rating. Ladd McConkey chipped in 95 yards on five catches, while J.K. Dobbins added 63 rushing yards on 18 carries to finish the regular season with a career-high 905 rushing yards.

The Chargers clinched the fifth seed in the AFC playoff picture with the win, meaning they’ll head to Houston to face the Texans in the wild-card round next weekend. Los Angeles played all of its regular starters on Sunday, presumably with the intention of earning that fifth seed and avoiding a first-round game against the Ravens’ record-setting offense in Baltimore.

Aidan O’Connell threw for 214 yards and two touchdowns, completing 24 of 34 pass attempts. Jakobi Meyers hauled in nine receptions for 123 yards as he reached the 1,000 yards in a season for the first time in his six-year career.

Brock Bowers added four catches for 50 yards and a touchdown to finish his rookie campaign with 112 receptions. The Las Vegas tight end set the single-season reception record for a rookie at any position.

The Chargers took a 17-10 lead into halftime after scoring 11 points in the final 1:05 of the second quarter. Daiyan Henley intercepted O’Connell and returned it to the Raiders’ 30-yard line with 44 seconds left in the half, a mere 21 seconds of game time after Cameron Dicker trimmed the Raiders’ lead to 10-9 with a 49-yard field goal.

The Chargers’ offense only needed four plays to capitalize, as Herbert found DJ Chark for a 6-yard touchdown pass with 10 seconds remaining in the half. Herbert then found Ladd McConkey for the two-point conversion, pushing Los Angeles’ lead to a touchdown at the break.

The Chargers added insurance with a 2-yard touchdown connection from Herbert to tight end Will Dissly with 13:32 remaining in the fourth quarter, after Herbert set the Chargers in the red zone with a 41-yard scramble two plays earlier.

Hassan Haskins punched it in from the 2-yard line to give the Chargers a 34-13 lead late in the fourth.

Bowers caught a 12-yard touchdown in the final minute of the game to cap his standout season.

The Raiders scored the game’s first touchdown to take a 10-3 lead with 13:06 remaining in the second quarter, as O’Connell found a wide-open Meyers for a 25-yard touchdown after Meyers shook free from his defender with a crafty double move.

–Field Level Media

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Playoff-bound Chargers not sitting starters in finale vs. Raiders

A month ago it may have sounded unfathomable, but the Las Vegas Raiders are looking to close a disappointing campaign with a third straight victory on Sunday as they host the playoff-bound Los Angeles Chargers.

It won’t be an easy task for a Raiders (4-12) team that has suddenly found life in the season’s waning moments. Despite the Chargers (10-6) being locked into the No. 5 or No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs, coach Jim Harbaugh plans to play the starters with the full intent of entering the postseason on a winning note.

“We play to win,” Harbaugh told the Lets Go! Podcast. “We’re going to be playing to win at all times. That never changes. I like what Derwin James said. He’s our captain. That leadership’s been already bequeathed to those tremendous leaders that we have on the team, and he said 11 wins sounds better than 10. So we’re attacking it. We’re attacking it with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.

“What are we going to do? Dress 25 guys for the game?”

The Raiders’ sudden uptick in performance has been the subject of controversy among the Silver and Black’s vocal fanbase. After their 10th straight loss — 15-9 to the Atlanta Falcons on Dec. 16 — the Raiders were 2-12 and in pole position for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

That presumably would have led to the selection of future franchise quarterback Shedeur Sanders from Colorado. Instead, the Raiders then beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints. The result? They’ve now dropped to the projected eighth overall pick after a season that was as dire as any in franchise history.

Regardless, the outside opinions mean little to the people inside the locker room in Nevada.

“(The message is to) finish,” Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce said. “We all signed up for 17 games, an 18-week schedule. We’ve had a really good month in my opinion, regardless of record. Just seeing the improvement, things that we talked about, and now just a great opportunity against a divisional foe that we know very well, that we saw in Week 1, to finish.”

The Chargers got the better of the Raiders in that season-opening matchup with a convincing 22-10 home victory. JK Dobbins was the star, rushing for 135 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries in his team debut.

Dobbins has a career-high 842 rushing yards with nine touchdowns despite missing four games with a knee injury. Los Angeles has won two straight games, including a convincing 40-7 road drubbing of the New England Patriots last Sunday.

One silver lining for the Raiders has been the historic emergence of rookie tight end Brock Bowers, who broke both Mike Ditka’s record for most receiving yards by a rookie tight end (1,144) and Puka Nacua’s record for most receptions by a rookie (108) in the win over the Saints last Sunday. Bowers also set a franchise receptions for catches in a season, surpassing Darren Waller (107 in 2020).

The Chargers have their own rookie star emerging in Bowers’ former Georgia teammate Ladd McConkey. He is fourth among all rookies in receptions (77) and yards (1,054) and tied for second in TDs (seven) despite missing a game with an AC joint injury.

A big reason for McConkey’s emergence has been his chemistry with Justin Herbert, who has thrown for 3,524 yards and 21 touchdowns this season while throwing only three interceptions.

On the injury front, Raiders running back Ameer Abdullah (foot) and guard Jordan Meredith (ankle) didn’t practice Wednesday, while defensive end K’Lavon Chaisson (ankle), defensive tackle John Jenkins (heel), tackle Kolton Miller (wrist) and safeties Isaiah Pola-Mao (hip) and Trey Taylor (back) were limited.

McConkey (toe) was among the Chargers who sat out practice Wednesday, along with running back Gus Edwards (ankle), wide receiver Josh Palmer (foot) and Poona Ford (elbow). Linebacker Denzel Perriman (groin) and tackle Trey Pipkins III (hip) were limited.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2024; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Chargers tight end Stone Smartt (84) makes a catch against the New England Patriots during the first half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Chargers clinch playoff berth with dominating win over Patriots

Justin Herbert passed for 281 yards and a season-high three touchdowns and the Los Angeles Chargers clinched an AFC playoff berth with a dominating 40-7 victory over the New England Patriots on Saturday in Foxborough, Mass.

Ladd McConkey caught eight passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns and Derwin James had two sacks and a fumble recovery for the Chargers (10-6), who are playoff-bound in Jim Harbaugh’s first season as coach.

Derius Davis also had a scoring catch, J.K. Dobbins rushed for 76 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries and Cameron Dicker booted four field goals.

Herbert completed 26 of 38 passes as the Chargers improved to 3-12 all-time in Foxborough, including playoffs.

Drake Maye completed 12 of 22 passes for 117 yards and one touchdown for New England (3-13), which lost its sixth consecutive game. DeMario Douglas caught a scoring pass for the Patriots.

Los Angeles outgained New England 428-181 and had a 29-11 edge in first downs while controlling the ball for 40:34 en route to a season-high point total.

The Chargers led by 13 at halftime and continued to control the game in the second half.

The first time Los Angeles had the ball, it moved 94 yards on 10 plays with Herbert connecting on a 40-yard scoring pass to McConkey to make it 27-7 with 7:37 left in the period.

Dicker drilled a 41-yard field with 5:43 left in the third quarter to make it a 23-point margin.

Dobbins’ 2-yard run made it 37-7 with 11:58 left in the contest. Dicker tacked on a 35-yard field goal with 3:47 left.

Herbert passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the Chargers held a 20-7 halftime lead.

Los Angeles held edges of 249-91 in total offense, 18-5 in first downs and possessed the ball for 23:20 of the 30 minutes.

The Chargers took a 7-0 lead when Davis made a diving 23-yard touchdown catch from Herbert with 3:21 left in the first quarter.

Dicker’s 27-yard field goal elevated the lead to 10 with 10:15 left in the first half.

The Patriots botched a play in which Douglas couldn’t handle Maye’s errant pitch and James recovered for the Chargers at the New England 44-yard line with 8:35 left in the half.

The Chargers cashed in when Herbert threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to McConkey to make it 17-0 with 2:55 left.

The Patriots tallied with 1:24 left in the half when Douglas dove to make a grab of Maye’s 36-yard scoring pass with 1:24 remaining.

Dicker completed the first-half scoring with a 38-yard field goal that went high over the right upright and was ruled good by the officiating crew.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) carries the ball against the Baltimore Ravens in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins active vs. Patriots

Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is active and expected to play in Saturday afternoon’s game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass.

Dobbins, 26, was activated off injured reserve on Friday after missing the past four games with a knee injury sustained in a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 25.

He was listed as questionable on Friday to play for the Chargers, who will be without fellow running back Gus Edwards (ankle).

The injury-prone Dobbins was enjoying a solid season prior to the knee ailment, with 766 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and 28 receptions for 134 yards in 11 games. His career high for rushing yardage is 805 as a rookie with the Ravens in 2020.

Dobbins’ return comes with the Chargers (9-6) just one win from clinching an AFC wild-card playoff spot.

In addition to Edwards, the Chargers listed the following players as inactive: linebacker Denzel Perryman, guard Trey Pipkens, tight end Hayden Hurst, offensive lineman Jordan McFadden, quarterback Easton Stick and defensive lineman Justin Eboigbe.

As for the Patriots (3-12), they listed safety Jabrill Peppers, quarterback Joe Milton, running back Terrell Jennings, guards Sidy Sow and Tyrese Robinson, and center Ben Brown as inactive.

–Field Level Media

Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) runs the ball against the Baltimore Ravens during the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Chargers activate RB J.K. Dobbins from IR

The Los Angeles Chargers activated running back J.K. Dobbins from injured reserve on Friday.

Dobbins is formally listed as questionable but figures to be the team’s top running threat for Saturday’s road game against the New England Patriots. Teammate Gus Edwards (ankle) was ruled out Thursday.

Dobbins has missed the past four games since sustaining a knee injury against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 25. He was a full practice participant Thursday before receiving the questionable label.

The injury-prone Dobbins was enjoying a solid season prior to the knee ailment, with 766 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground and 28 receptions for 134 yards in 11 games. His career high for rushing yardage is 805 for the Ravens in 2020.

Dobbins’ return comes with the Chargers (9-6) just one win from clinching an AFC wild-card playoff spot.

Los Angeles also elevated safeties Eddie Jackson and Kendall Williamson from the practice squad.

–Field Level Media

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA;  Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) celebrates as he leaves the field after defeating the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

This time, Chargers looking for more than win at New England

The Los Angeles Chargers notched a rare win for the franchise in Foxborough, Mass., last season. Another one Saturday will clinch a playoff berth.

The Chargers blanked a lowly New England squad 6-0 in December 2023 to move to 2-12 all-time in Foxborough, including the postseason.

The previous victory came in 2005 when the franchise was located in San Diego. Drew Brees was the team’s quarterback and LaDainian Tomlinson was the NFL’s best running back.

In other words, wins in Foxborough have been tough to come by for the Chargers.

All of that is ancient history to first-year coach Jim Harbaugh, who’s expected the Chargers (9-6) to win at least 10 games this season.

“We’ve still got games to win,” Harbaugh told reporters. “Nine wins can get you in the playoffs but you need help. Ten wins, most years, can and this year I think it would. Eleven usually gets you in.”

Los Angeles currently fits in as the sixth seed in the AFC after beating the Broncos 34-27 on Dec. 19 to sweep this season’s two-game series with Denver. After the Patriots, the Chargers close the regular season at the Las Vegas Raiders.

Quarterback Justin Herbert has 18 touchdown passes against three interceptions, though two of the picks have come in the past two games.

New England tight end Hunter Henry, who played alongside then-rookie Herbert in 2020 for the Chargers, is not surprised at Herbert’s season-long efficiency.

“He was killing it his rookie year, but just the growth that he’s continued to have,” Henry said. “He has all the tools, strong arm and makes every throw. He’s mobile, he can extend plays, he can run. He just presents a lot of challenges for defense. He’s a special, special player.”

The Patriots (3-12) have lost five straight games while breaking in rookie quarterback Drake Maye (14 touchdowns, 10 interceptions).

Maye has thrown a touchdown pass in seven straight games to tie Jim Plunkett (1971) for the longest streak by a rookie in franchise history. He has completed 67.6 percent of his passes, just behind the rookie record set by Dak Prescott (67.8) of the Dallas Cowboys in 2016.

But Maye also has thrown an interception in seven straight games as he learns on the fly.

“Drake is a competitor, and he’s always going to try to go out there and make plays,” New England coach Jerod Mayo said. “I think just the way that he’s played, how well he’s played this year, oftentimes we forget that he’s a rookie quarterback. Those are lessons learned.

“I’ve been very upfront about this — the intangible with Drake, besides his even demeanor, is he’s learned from his mistakes, and I expect that to continue going forward.”

Regardless of the opposing quarterback’s experience, the Chargers are not taking anything for granted.

“It’s a playoff game, no different than the last one, man,” star pass rusher Khalil Mack said. “By any means necessary. We got to do everything we can to win the game.”

Neither team held a practice on Christmas Day and released estimated participation projections.

The Chargers could have running back J.K. Dobbins (knee) back after opening his 21-day practice window on Monday and seeing him be a limited participant the next two days. He has missed the past four games.

Fellow running back Gus Edwards (ankle) also was limited the past two days. Chargers who sat out Wednesday were punter JK Scott (illness), offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III (hip) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin).

Patriots safety Kyle Dugger (ankle/quadriceps) hasn’t practiced yet this week. Cornerback Marcus Jones (hip) and center Ben Brown (concussion) also sat out the past two days.

–Field Level Media

Dec 19, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA;  Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) sets to pass in the first half against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Chargers overtake Broncos, inch closer to playoff berth

Justin Herbert passed for 284 yards and two touchdowns, Gus Edwards ran for two scores and the Los Angeles Chargers closed in on a playoff spot by rallying for a 34-27 victory over the Denver Broncos on Thursday in Inglewood, Calif.

Ladd McConkey had six receptions for 87 yards and Cameron Dicker made two field goals, including a rare fair-catch free-kick boot to end the first half as the Chargers (9-6) ended a two-game losing streak.

Los Angeles can clinch a postseason spot Sunday if both the Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts lose or tie.

Bo Nix had 263 yards passing and two TDs for the Broncos (9-6), who saw their four-game winning streak come to an end. Audric Estime had 48 yards rushing and a touchdown for Denver, which would have clinched the franchise’s first playoff berth since 2015 with a victory.

Nix orchestrated consecutive touchdown drives of 72, 70 and 70 yards to open the game and give the Broncos a 21-10 lead. Two of the TDs came on Nix passes to Michael Burton (1 yard) and Devaughn Vele (6 yards).

The Chargers appeared to build momentum on a rare play to end the first half. An untimed free-kick field goal by Dicker from 57 yards pulled Los Angeles within 21-13. The kick was earned after a fair catch from Derius Davis and a 15-yard fair-catch interference penalty.

It was the first successful kick of its kind in the NFL since 1976.

After the Broncos took a 24-13 lead with 8:31 remaining in the third quarter, the Chargers’ defense took over, allowing the Los Angeles offense to flourish.

A 5-yard TD run from Edwards with 2:58 remaining in the third quarter got the Chargers within 24-19 after the two-point conversion attempt failed. Davis caught a 19-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, and Joshua Palmer caught a two-point conversion pass as Los Angeles took its first lead of the game at 27-24.

The Chargers took a 34-24 lead when Hassan Haskins capped a six-play, 90-yard drive with a 34-yard TD reception off a shovel pass from Herbert with 2:27 left.

Denver got a 55-yard field goal from Wil Lutz with under a minute remaining but failed to recover the ensuing onside kick.

–Field Level Media