The Los Angeles Chargers, to say the least, have had a disappointing season despite their 7-4 record, now needing a miraculous turnaround of the performance of their offensive line and, by extension, their offense as a whole in order to revive their hopes of cobbling together a playoff run.
Yet, they may still be faced with their greatest loss yet, as one of their most impactful players, edge rusher Khalil Mack, is likely to consider retirement again this offseason.
Mack is a free agent after this year, and it was widely reported last offseason that he was considering not returning to the team and opting to end his 11-year NFL career. Now, Los Angeles must acclimate itself to the fact that it could be without its defensive leader in 2026.
Khalil Mack's retirement is a very real possible at the conclusion of this season for the Chargers
Throughout his career, Mack has been one of the game's most dominant edge rushers, making the Pro Bowl nine times and winning Defensive Player of the Year when he was with the Raiders in 2016.
He came to the Chargers through a trade from the Chicago Bears in 2022, and, since that time, he has been an integral part of one of the most consistent defensive fronts in the league. As he nears age 35, however, there is a very real chance he could be ready to call it quits.
When he decided to return for this season, he made it clear that the reason behind his choice was his desire to not only play winning football but to compete for a Super Bowl. In his career, Mack has never won a playoff game, having lost in the first round five separate times.
Heading into the season, it was reasonable to believe that the Chargers were a Super Bowl contender in their second year with Jim Harbaugh at the helm. Yet, things have not played out that way, with injuries and inconsistent personnel decisions hamstringing the team throughout the course of the season.
If Mack does not believe the Chargers are set to be serious contenders in 2026, it could contribute to his decision to ultimately hang up the cleats.
As an easy first-ballot Hall of Famer, the impact of Mack's loss would be difficult to exaggerate. While there are a limited number of capable edge rushers available in free agency (and Tuli Tuipulotu has really come into his own this season), there are none that are truly of Mack's caliber apart from Trey Hendrickson.
While obviously nothing is confirmed as of yet, Chargers' fans must prepare themselves for what could prove to be a very real possibility: that they will be without Mack's game-changing services next season.