Latest news with #JoeHortiz
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why unrestricted free agent Khalil Mack returned to the Chargers: 'It was a no-brainer'
Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack said his decision to return was not a complicated one because of the leadership and roster in place. (Vera Nieuwenhuis / Associated Press) Facing unrestricted free agency for the first time in his illustrious career, Khalil Mack could have chosen any team to chase his championship ambitions. Why did the star edge rusher choose to stick with a franchise that has never won the Super Bowl? 'Why not here?' the Chargers edge rusher wondered back. Advertisement Praising the leadership under coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz, the players on the roster and his familiarity with the franchise, Mack's decision to return to the Chargers wasn't that complicated at all. 'It was a no-brainer,' he said this week during Chargers minicamp in his first comments with local reporters since January. Read more: 'You gotta move on': Chargers' Justin Herbert focusing on future, not playoff failure In his last public comments, Mack was swirling in the disappointment of the Chargers' wild-card loss to the Houston Texans. The 34-year-old flirted with retirement. For a former two-star recruit who went to Buffalo, Mack has little else to prove at the professional level. Nine Pro Bowl selections. Three All-Pro honors. The 2016 Associated Press defensive player of the year. Advertisement But still no playoff wins. 'You're chasing that feeling of wanting to win important games deep in the season,' said Mack, who has gone one-and-done in the postseason five times. 'Being that I haven't reached that point yet, I couldn't give up on that dream and that goal for myself and for this franchise.' Mired in their own postseason drought, the Chargers have not won a playoff game since the 2018 season. Their last two attempts flamed out spectacularly. The 27-point blown lead in Jan. 2023 was the largest in franchise history. Last year, quarterback Justin Herbert threw a career-high four interceptions against Houston. Despite the jarring end, the Chargers' surprising 11-6 regular-season record in the first year under Harbaugh positions the franchise well for the long-awaited breakthrough. Wanting to continue the momentum was a key hope for the offseason. Advertisement 'l was begging and pleading with him to come back,' safety Derwin James Jr. said. 'I just knew for him to come back like that, he really loves us and he really wants a shot at it again.' Mack, who signed a reported one-year, $18 million deal, had six sacks and 39 tackles last season, a stark drop from his resurgent 2023 that featured a career-high 17 sacks and 75 tackles. Nursing a complicated groin injury, he missed a game for the first time in his Chargers tenure. But entering his 12th season, Mack insists getting in top physical shape is the easy part. On Thursday, Harbaugh was shocked when reminded that Mack was 34 years old. Mack was working with Chargers executive director of player performance Ben Herbert for weeks before the team started their offseason regimen, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said. The workouts suddenly got so popular that one random weekday, Minter was stunned to see so many players that they could have held a defensive walk-through. Echoing Harbaugh, Minter called it the 'Herb Effect.' It has Mack under its spell. Advertisement 'Herb is a big deal,' Mack said. 'He was a big part of that decision coming back here as well. Just knowing the mindset that he has and how he thinks about the body. It's just the same approach and the same mindset that I have when I train by myself or with anybody else. I want to be a machine. I want to be as solid as possible, as strong as possible. Move people easy. And this program is all of that.' For the first time in his Chargers tenure, Mack is without running mate Joey Bosa, who was cut in a salary-saving move. After three injury-riddled seasons punctuated his nine-year Chargers career, Bosa signed with the Buffalo Bills. It's weird without his former teammate, Mack said. He recently texted Bosa about how different the edge rusher room felt without Bosa breaking the silence with awkward jokes. They will at least reunite at Bosa's wedding next year. Bosa's departure opens the door for third-year edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu to step into a starring role. The USC alumnus started 20 games in the last two seasons as Bosa struggled with injuries and had a career-best 8 1/2 sacks last season. Advertisement Read more: Rashawn Slater returns to Chargers minicamp amid contract talks 'Tuli is a special player, man,' Mack said. 'I've been saying that ever since he stepped foot into the building, what, three years ago now. … It's not going to be no surprise to me when he's a 10, 12 sack guy this year.' The Chargers drafted SEC defensive player of the year Kyle Kennard in the fourth round to bolster the edge room that also includes 32-year-old Bud Dupree. Mack's return was one of the first offseason moves the Chargers announced, and while he could have waited longer to entertain options from other teams as an unrestricted free agent, he chose not to linger on the market. Balancing financial decisions with his career and family, Mack kept a single focus. Advertisement 'It's just not wanting to give up on that goal and that ambition that I had ever since I had stepped in the league,' Mack said. 'I knew I wanted to play in important games and win a Super Bowl at least.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New York Times
11-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Chargers minicamp observations: Rashawn Slater arrives, Derwin James Jr. flashes
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers opened mandatory minicamp Tuesday at The Bolt, the team's facility. They held a shorter practice lasting less than an hour and a half. The Chargers are scheduled for two more minicamp practices this week on Wednesday and Thursday. Those will conclude the mandatory portion of the offseason program. Advertisement The Chargers were initially scheduled for three voluntary organized team activities next week, June 16 through 18. Coach Jim Harbaugh said Tuesday, though, that the 'vets will leave' after Thursday and 'continue to stay sharp and crisp' for the start of training camp in July. Next week's sessions are instead looking like extra work for younger players, primarily rookies. Harbaugh has held practices like these in past, referring to them as opportunity practices. Here are my notes, observations and takeaways from Day 1 of minicamp. 1. Left tackle Rashawn Slater was at practice Tuesday and participated fully. Slater and the Chargers remain in contract negotiations. Slater is slated to play in 2025 on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which would pay him $19.04 million, according to Over the Cap. The Chargers picked up that option in May 2024, a few months after Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz were hired. Slater was absent from the Chargers' two OTAs open to media on May 27 and June 3. He instead chose to remain in Dallas, where he works out in the offseason. Harbaugh said he 'first saw' Slater on Monday, when the Chargers held their promotional day and took videos and pictures of players in full uniforms. The Chargers posted a video of Slater to social media. Harbaugh said Slater passed his conditioning test. 'He came in in great shape,' Harbaugh said. 'He even said that the conditioning test was too easy. That was his quote.' Slater was back at left tackle for the duration of Tuesday's practice, from positional drills to 11-on-11 drills. His presence is a promising sign as the two sides continue working toward a long-term extension. 'Great to see him,' Harbaugh said. 'Everybody here — I speak on behalf of, I would think, everybody in the organization — totally supports Rashawn, and we know what he's trying to accomplish for himself and his family.' Advertisement Harbaugh, staying true to his quirky form, added a quote from the 'late, great Tom Petty.' 'The things I seem to worry about never happen anyways,' Harbaugh said. 'So I don't worry.' the tackles. — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 10, 2025 2. Safety Elijah Molden, cornerback Deane Leonard, receiver Luke Grimm, tight end Jordan Petaia, receiver Mike Williams and receiver KeAndre Lambert-Smith all worked off to the side in Tuesday's practice. Rookie offensive lineman Savion Washington and rookie safety RJ Mickens were the only two players not on the field. Harbaugh said the Chargers 'may have a few ailments,' but he otherwise expected perfect attendance. In other injury news, linebacker Daiyan Henley and cornerback Cam Hart both participated in team drills in an open practice for the first time this spring. Henley and Hart both had surgeries after the season to repair torn labrums. Offensive linemen Trey Pipkins and Jamaree Salyer did not participate in team drills. 3. With Slater back on the field, the Chargers set up with this first-team offensive line: LT Slater, LG Bradley Bozeman, C Zion Johnson, RG Mekhi Becton, RT Joe Alt. Johnson got the bulk of the work at center in the practice. Bozeman took some snaps at center later in practice when Johnson was resting. Bozeman also snapped to quarterback Justin Herbert in seven-on-seven. Johnson had been working his way back from an injury earlier in the spring. Andre James worked at center with the second-team offense. James also got third-team reps at left guard. With Pipkins and Salyer out of team drills and Washington not at practice, the Chargers only had 12 linemen, so some players played with both the second and third teams. Harbaugh said Bozeman and Johnson have continued to rotate between left guard and center. He added that he hopes to settle on who is the center and who is the left guard 'about eight to 10 days into camp.' The Chargers open camp on July 17. 'Historically, that's when I usually like to start setting those starting lineups,' Harbaugh said. 'From now until then, the competition will continue.' 4. Over the second half of last season, safety Derwin James Jr. settled into a role that elevated his skill set. That role featured James playing closer to the line of scrimmage more frequently, including as the Chargers' nickel. He was a more prominent factor in the run game. He could blitz more effectively. And he could match up one-on-one with opposing tight ends and bigger slot receivers in man coverage. Advertisement Through these early spring practices, it is clear defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is going to continue leaning into that role for James in Year 2. 'This is not my first time going through it with these coaches, so it's not an experimental thing this year,' James said. The role is defined now. If 2024 was about carving out the role, then 2025 will be about building it out. That process showed up in Tuesday's practice. For the first team period, Herbert was at quarterback in a modified seven-on-seven drill. The Chargers' safeties and linebackers matched up in coverage on the Chargers' tight ends, running backs and slot receivers. The Chargers set up with five defenders: Henley and Denzel Perryman at linebacker, Tony Jefferson and Alohi Gilman at safety and James in the slot. In four reps against Herbert, James had two passes defended. On the first, James was one-on-one with receiver Willie Snead, who was at Tuesday's practice as a veteran tryout. Snead ran a slant. James was glued to him, jumped the route and deflected the pass in the air. Perryman picked it off. On the next snap, James was in man coverage on tight end Tyler Conklin. Conklin ran a shallow comeback route. James jumped that route, too, and broke it up. Later in practice, in 11-on-11, James came on a blitz off the edge. He batted down a screen pass attempt from rookie quarterback DJ Uiagalelei. 'I feel like this year, Year 2, homing in on it, it'll be a lot of fun for me,' James said. 'Be free, play fast.' 5. With Hart back in team drills, the defensive back rotation started to crystallize. When James was nickel, Jefferson and Gilman were at safety, while Donte Jackson and Tarheeb Still were at outside cornerback. Hart and Benjamin St-Juste were the second-team outside cornerbacks. Still also got work in the slot during the practice. Advertisement 6. The Chargers continue to defer to the veteran receivers with their first-team offense. Quentin Johnston, Jalen Reagor and Ladd McConkey got the bulk of the work with Herbert and the starting group. Rookie Tre Harris got limited reps with Herbert later in practice. Johnston had an up-and-down day. He caught an out route on the first rep of a seven-on-seven period. On the second rep, Herbert went back to Johnston on an out route to the right wide. That throw glanced off one of Johnston's hands. Johnston came down with a third-down-conversion reception later in practice in 11-on-11, coming open on a crosser. Herbert attempted two go balls to Reagor down the right sideline. Both fell incomplete. McConkey had the best practice of the three, which comes as no surprise. His best moment: Third down in 11-on-11, McConkey beat Ja'Sir Taylor on a slant route in man coverage. Later in that period, McConkey had an explosive reception from Herbert on an over route off play action. 7. Chargers defensive backs picked off two passes on the day. Taylor intercepted a deflected Herbert pass in 11-on-11 that went off the hands of tight end Tucker Fisk. And rookie safety Jaylen Jones picked off an ill-advised off-platform throw from quarterback Trey Lance, who has been trading off with Uiagalelei as the third-string quarterback. Rookie right end Oronde Gadsden was coming open on a corner route. Lance was drifting to his left, and the ball was severely underthrown. Jones now has two interceptions in open spring practices. 8. Herbert and Gadsden connected on an explosive wheel route in the final period of practice. Gadsden is a smooth mover who can stretch defenses vertically, and this is the type of play in which he can make an impact as a rookie. Gadsden has also shown some run-after-the-catch ability this spring. Receiver Derius Davis also had an explosive catch on a wheel route from Herbert, beating rookie corner Jordan Oladokun. The other big explosive play of the day from the offense came on a connection from quarterback Taylor Heinicke to receiver Jaylen Johnson. Johnson beat St-Juste on a go route, and Heinicke delivered an accurate back-shoulder throw. 9. Herbert was scheduled to speak with the media Tuesday for the first time this offseason. That did not happen. He is tentatively scheduled to speak Wednesday. Herbert has not spoken with local media since just after the Chargers' playoff loss against the Houston Texans in January. (Top photo of Rashawn Slater: Mark J. Rebilas / Imagn Images)
New York Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Los Angeles Chargers 2025 schedule: Jim Harbaugh's second season kicks off in Brazil
The Athletic has live coverage of the 2025 NFL schedule release. The NFL will release the 2025 schedules for all 32 teams at 8 p.m. (ET) Wednesday. Here is what we know about the Los Angeles Chargers' schedule so far. The Chargers will open the season in São Paulo, Brazil, on Friday, Sept. 5. The Kansas City Chiefs are considered the favorite to be the opponent. Los Angeles will play each team from the AFC South and NFC East, as well as the 2024 second-place teams from the AFC East, AFC North and NFC North. The Chargers also will see their AFC West division rivals twice, once on the road and once at SoFi Stadium, as part of their 17-game schedule. They also will open the preseason in the Hall of Fame Game against the Detroit Lions on July 31 in Canton, Ohio. Here is the lineup of home and road opponents, listed alphabetically. The Chargers enjoyed a strong debut season under the guidance of Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz, finishing 11-6 and reaching the wild-card round of the playoffs. That's when the season unceremoniously ended with a 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans as Justin Herbert, facing constant defensive pressure throughout the game, threw four interceptions. Advertisement Although their offseason was light on splash moves, the Chargers have made some upgrades to their offense, including right guard Mekhi Becton and first-round running back Omarion Hampton to pair with free agent Najee Harris, in hopes of making a deeper run in Harbaugh's second season in charge. Come back Wednesday night for the Chargers' week-to-week schedule, plus season analysis and predictions.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Chargers' uniforms could receive a brand new look in 2025
The Chargers are among five teams that are rumored to debut alternate helmets this summer, according to The new alternate helmets haven't been leaked yet, but are expected to debut sometime in July. Advertisement On Wednesday, general manager Joe Hortiz might have hinted that the rumors are true on his appearance on The Up & Adams Show. When asked if he could confirm, Hortiz responded, "I can't confirm. But I know that we dabbled with some stuff, so I'm sure there's something coming." Hortiz revealed that he hasn't seen anything, but there was one day they were doing a photoshoot overlooking the field but they had curtains wrapped around so he was unable to see anything. If I were to guess, it would likely be a navy blue helmet that matches their Color Rush uniforms, which have gold lightning bolts on the sides. This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Rumor: Chargers to introduce new alternate helmets this summer
USA Today
07-05-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Chargers' uniforms could receive a brand new look in 2025
Chargers' uniforms could receive a brand new look in 2025 The Chargers are among five teams that are rumored to debut alternate helmets this summer, according to The new alternate helmets haven't been leaked yet, but are expected to debut sometime in July. On Wednesday, general manager Joe Hortiz might have hinted that the rumors are true on his appearance on The Up & Adams Show. When asked if he could confirm, Hortiz responded, "I can't confirm. But I know that we dabbled with some stuff, so I'm sure there's something coming." Hortiz revealed that he hasn't seen anything, but there was one day they were doing a photoshoot overlooking the field but they had curtains wrapped around so he was unable to see anything. If I were to guess, it would likely be a navy blue helmet that matches their Color Rush uniforms, which have gold lightning bolts on the sides.
