The Los Angeles Chargers were never guaranteed to get Khalil Mack back this offseason. Even at this point in the veteran defender's career, that's easy to forget.
After a year where he suffered a rather gruesome arm injury and the Chargers entered the playoffs without a real shot at contention, there were few that would've blamed him for deciding to hang up his jersey after 12 productive NFL seasons and a Hall of Fame-caliber career. But he's returned to Los Angeles on a one-year, $18 million deal.
Given the uncertainties surrounding their depth behind Tuli Tuipulotu, the Chargers should be undeniably grateful for that fact.
But Mack didn't return just for fun. As Daniel Popper highlights in The Athletic's recent piece on the players with the most on the line heading into 2026, Mack has returned for a chance at a championship. The Chargers need to give it to him this season.
"Mack returned to the Chargers on a one-year deal for 2026. He turned 35 in February...Team success is the only thing missing from his Hall of Fame résumé. It’s the only reason he continues to play at this age. Mack has yet to win a playoff game in his career. He has mulled retirement numerous times over the past four years. This could be his last shot at finally earning that postseason win — and a Super Bowl ring." Daniel Popper, The Athletic
The Chargers need to give Khalil Mack a deep playoff run this season— it could be his last shot
As Popper points out, it seems as though Mack's retirement has been a possibility each offseason since he joined the Chargers in 2022 at age 31. And yet Mack has continued to produce year-in and year-out.
Even as he declines slightly— he posted just 5.5 sacks across 12 games last season, although his pressure numbers remained relatively steady— he's still more than capable of providing secondary pass-rushing juice to one of the NFL's top defenses. With Tuipulotu drawing the bulk of the offensive attention and Akheem Mesidor there to serve as a complementary piece off the edge, Los Angeles also has a chance to lighten Mack's burden this season.
Perhaps his production will continue to drop, but Mack will continue to prove himself as one of the league's most consistent edge rushers on a week-to-week basis. Over the course of his 12-year career, he's earned nine Pro Bowl nods, three All Pro selections, and one Defensive Player of the Year crown.
Popper's point is that the only thing missing from his Hall of Fame résumé is team success. Between his time with the Oakland Raiders, Chicago Bears, and Chargers, Mack has never had a playoff victory. Of the 387 members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, only 24 have entered without a postseason victory.
The path is there for Mack, and the path is there for Los Angeles to carve out a deep playoff run in 2026.
If Chris O'Leary can be trusted to replicate what Minter was able to accomplish on defense over the past two seasons, the elevation of the offense under Mike McDaniel could put the Chargers among the most formidable teams in the NFL. At this point in his career, Mack doesn't even need to be among the star defenders on that sort of team.
What he does need, though, is for the team and the infrastructure around him to finally step up to the challenge. It's the only thing standing between him and a sure-fire Hall of Fame selection, and it's what Los Angeles owes him as he continues to put his body on the line year after year.
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