By Eric Smith|Chargers.com
Khalil Mack isn’t going anywhere.
The Chargers on Monday announced they have agreed on a contract extension with Mack, a veteran edge rusher who turned 34 last month.
Mack was slated to become an unrestricted free agent when the 2025 NFL New League Year began Wednesday. Instead, the Bolts made sure the legendary player remained in powder blue.
The fact that Mack never became a free agent clearly outlines how much of a high priority the return of the nine-time Pro Bowler was for the Chargers.
“I can tell you this: I know Khalil has – does he want to play another year? Khalil’s got more than one year left in his body if he wants to do it,” Chargers General Manager Joe Hortiz said at the 2025 NFL Combine. “He played great in 2023, played great last year.”
Take a look back at the best photos of Khalil Mack’s 2024 campaign. Mack recorded 39 tackles, 6 sacks, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 forced fumbles in the 2024-2025 NFL season.
Mack told reporters after the 2024 season that he was going to mull retirement this offseason.
And while Mack ultimately decided to keep playing, his decision to return to the Chargers speaks volumes.
Mack was adamant in his year-end media session that he was only going to play for a contender if he did choose to continue playing.
“As long as Justin Herbert is your quarterback and you got Derwin James and all these guys that love the game of football and you got Jim Harbaugh coaching, you know you always have a chance to win,” Mack said in January. “That’s a no brainer in the sense of … if you know football, then you know.”
Mack knows. And the Chargers were his choice.
Mack has made a profound impact on the Chargers organization since arriving in a trade in the spring of 2022.
On the field, he’s tallied 31.0 sacks in three seasons, the ninth-most in the league during that span. He’s also recorded 49 quarterback hits, 39 tackles for loss, 21 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
And while Mack did battle groin issues in 2024, he remained one of the league’s most consistent players as his Pro Football Focus defense grade of 90.4 was fourth-best among players at his position.
He finished second on the Bolts with 6.0 sacks and led the team in quarterback pressures with 54, according to Next Gen Stats.
Mack was also elite against the run as he finished the season with the second-highest PFF run defense grade among edge rushers at 88.0.
So yes, Mack can still play at a high level. But the intangibles he brings are just as important, too.
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Teammates and coaches rave about his work ethic and skillset. Heck, Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh compared him to Leonardo da Vinci last season.
“To me, he’s like one of the most evolved humans I’ve been around in every way,” Harbaugh said in mid-October. “Like Leonardo da Vinci. A great athlete, but a brilliant person, too.
“Can’t say enough good things about him… he’s special in the best kind of ways,” Harbaugh added. “Love being around him every day.”
Chargers Defensive Coordinator Jesse Minter added: “Khalil is one of the best football people I’ve ever been around. He takes his game so serious, he’s a leader, he’s got this humbleness about him yet he’s probably one of the most competitive people I’ve been around. You can see why he is who is, why he’s played the way he’s played.”
Mack’s leadership was a key reason why Harbaugh’s culture shift landed so well in the Bolts locker room last season.
It’s one thing to talk about it. But when a future Hall of Famer with 107.5 career sacks routinely wins wind sprint drills and outworks younger players in the weight room then it only elevates the entire organization.
Mack has said time and time again that his singular mission these days is to win a championship.
Mack and the Chargers now have clear objectives ahead of them.
The first, of course, is to make the playoffs and help Mack get his first playoff win.
But there are bigger prizes that Mack envisions on the horizon. And he wouldn’t have returned to Los Angeles if he didn’t think it was possible for the Chargers to get there.
Los Angeles Chargers Agree to Contract Extension with Teair Tart
Acquired in training camp before the start of last season, Tart emerged as a key contributor on the Los Angeles defensive line, appearing in all 18 contests, including the postseason. He had a sack, an interception, five tackles for loss and 29 tackles (15 solo) on the season, while also forcing and recovering a fumble. Tart was part of a defensive unit that led the NFL in scoring defense (17.7 points per game) and red zone defense (45.0 percent).
Tart finished his collegiate career at Florida International where he totaled 5.5 sacks, 50 tackles (28 solo), 19 tackles for loss and a pair of forced fumbles in 23 games played across two seasons (2018-19). He also spent time playing at ASA College (N.Y.) and Ellsworth Community College before transferring to Florida International.
