Joe Alt suffered his second high-ankle sprain of the season on Sunday and it looks bleak. The star Chargers tackle was seen using crutches after the game, and after missing three games earlier this season, there is speculation Alt could have surgery on his right ankle.
High-ankle sprains are already finicky enough and reaggravating it is never a good sign. When the word surgery starts getting thrown in, well, that is when fans start preparing for the worst with Alt's timeline to return.
However, in this very specific case, surgery might be exactly what Alt needs to come back sooner, not later. Just ask former Chargers fan favorite Breiden Fehoko, who offered keen insight stemming from his experience with high-ankle sprain surgery.
I had a high ankle couple years ago and had the infamous tight rope surgery. If it means anything I was back in 3 weeks. However everyone’s body is different. @JoeAlt7 lots of Juven, Cherrie drinks, & Game Ready! You’ll be good by week 13. https://t.co/Ytl05CSDrQ
— Breiden Fehoko (@BreidenFehoko) November 3, 2025
Breiden Fehoko thinks Joe Alt will return to the Chargers in Week 13
Every Chargers fan would take a Week 13 return for Alt after watching him get carted off the field Sunday. Returning for the playoffs seemed like the best-case scenario in the moment. A Week 13 return truly would be remarkable.
The Chargers' next three opponents are the Pittsburgh Steelers, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Las Vegas Raiders. Sandwiched between the Jaguars and Raiders game is the team's bye week, meaning based on Fehoko's prediction, Alt should be on the field against the Raiders.
As promising as Fehoko's insight is, it seems a bit too optimistic that Alt will return that quickly. After all, the Chargers are rightfully going to stretch out his recovery time to make sure he is 100% once he returns. The last thing the Chargers need is another ankle injury that impacts his playoff availability.
Alt must miss at least four games if the Chargers put him on IR, regardless of the bye week. That would put Alt's return in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs on December 14, nearly six weeks after suffering the initial injury.
Even that would be a blessing for the Chargers. Getting Alt back for a playoff run, let alone the regular season, is all fans should ask for. Fehoko's bold prediction is a reason to be optimistic, but it isn't something Chargers fans should absolutely expect.
In the meantime, the Chargers could look to bolster the tackle position ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline. Los Angeles could have stayed afloat without a trade before Alt's injury, but even if he returns quicker than expected, the Bolts need to add more depth.