The Los Angeles Chargers moved to 6-3 with a win on Sunday, but they suffered, arguably, the biggest loss of their season. Standout offensive lineman Joe Alt was carted off the field during the win over the Tennessee Titans, and on Monday, the team announced some devastating news. Alt sustained a high-ankle sprain that will require season-ending surgery.
That means the Chargers will have to navigate the remainder of the season without their second-year lineman, who had already established himself as one of the better linemen in the league. With two-time Pro Bowl tackle Rashawn Slater already sidelined for the year with a knee injury, this is officially a nightmare scenario for Los Angeles.
Joe Alt is will have season-ending ankle surgery for his high right ankle sprain,
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) November 3, 2025
according to a team spokesperson.
Chargers lineman Joe Alt will undergo season-ending ankle surgery
Losing Slater before the start of the season was already a brutal hurdle for Los Angeles to overcome, but the presence of Alt helped the team navigate that challenge. After starting at right tackle as a rookie, Alt flawlessly transitioned to left tackle to replace Slater, and stabilized the offensive line. Now, both will watch the rest of the year from the sideline, and the Chargers will try to remain a contender without two of their best players.
While this Jim Harbaugh-coached team will certainly showcase some resiliency, fans have already got a look at the Chargers' offensive line without Slater and Alt, and it’s not a pretty sight. With Slater missing the entire season, Los Angeles was without both in Weeks 5-7 when Alt missed three games with an injury. The Chargers were 1-2 in those games, and the offensive line gave up a combined nine sacks. If that’s any sign of what’s to come, things could quickly unravel in Los Angeles.
Since Alt’s injury did happen before the November 4 trade deadline, the Chargers will have one day to call around the league and make some moves to save their season. It doesn’t matter how good Justin Hebert and the Chargers defense are, if Los Angeles doesn’t have competent offensive line play, the team won’t accomplish anything this season. It’s impossible to adequately replace two tackles like Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, but Los Angeles needs to find a group of guys that could at least provide solid offensive line play.