Pat McAfee has one of the biggest platforms in the entire sports world and on that platform, the former Indianapolis Colts punter took the time to echo what LA Chargers fans already know as the truth.
During the overreaction Monday segment on The Pat McAfee Show, McAfee read out a viewer-submitted "overreaction" about the reality of the Chargers. The analysis of the Chargers was spot on and rather simple: this team would be unstoppable if Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater were healthy.
McAfee and the rest of the crew didn't think this was an overreaction. In fact, McAfee outright said he agreed with the assessment, which is just another painful reminder of how special this already great Chargers team could be with Justin Herbert under center.
"I actually agree with that," McAfee said. "Watching that game, they were on a smaller screen up here, [Justin] Herbert was just running for his life the entire time. And then all Chargers fans kept saying was 'yes, this is what it has been, basically.'"
"They drafted offensive linemen, they get injured, they try to fix it, they get injured," McAfee continued. "Jim Harbaugh says the only thing that matters is protecting Herbert. For some reason, they just can't get the golden goose any protection."
Pat McAfee highlights the unfortunate reality Chargers fans still have to live with
There are a lot of NFL fans who root for non-playoff teams who may shake their head at this assessment, but it's the truth. The LA Chargers are actively being held back by having one of the worst, if not the worst, offensive lines in the sport.
Yes, they are still a great team, but that's just a testament to how special Herbert and Jesse Minter's defense are. If the Chargers had just a league-average offensive line they would be among the favorites to win the Super Bowl this season.
The Chargers' issues on the offensive line are a mixture of bad luck and bad management. On one hand, no team in the league can prepare to lose two generational tackles in the same season. Expecting the Bolts to replace Alt and Slater as if they are the flavor of the day is asinine.
In fact, the Chargers made the unpopular decision to overpay Trey Pipkins to be a swing tackle, protecting themselves somewhat from this reality. Without that decision, the Chargers would be in even worse shape.
The mismanagement comes from the interior offensive line. Alt and Slater were healthy last season and the Chargers' offensive line still struggled, particularly in the playoffs, because the interior acted more like a turnstile than an offensive line. And to address this, all the Chargers did was sign Mekhi Becton, who has been a massive disappointment after one good season with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Later in the segment, McAfee and the crew heaped more flowers on Herbert while acknowledging that he physically cannot win a Super Bowl by himself. It's a painful dichotomy Chargers fans have to live with. The franchise quarterback is carrying this team to relevancy, but at the end of the day, history tells us that the offensive line mountain is simply too high to climb to win a Super Bowl.
The ceiling of the 2025 Chargers remains to be seen, but after beating the Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs in six days time, it's safe to say it's higher than anyone outside of Los Angeles wanted to admit prior.
However, even more excitingly, the ceiling of this team in the future couldn't be higher. With better health in 2026 and over $100 million in cap space to spend, the 2025 season might end up serving as the warm-up for a real Super Bowl run next season.
If McAfee and his listeners are right, and the Chargers get lucky with injuries, they should be unstoppable.