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Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh
The Los Angeles Chargers and head coach Jim Harbaugh saw their 2025 NFL season come to an end in disappointing fashion once again.
Despite making a run to the playoffs, the Chargers were quickly eliminated by the New England Patriots in the Wild Card round of the postseason. Once again, Los Angeles was left frustrated and wanting more.
Throughout the course of the regular season, the Chargers compiled an 11-6 record. Led by Harbaugh and star quarterback Justin Herbert, it appeared that the team had a shot at making a run in the AFC playoff picture. Despite the disappointment of losing in the Wild Card, the future looks bright in Los Angeles.
Keeping that in mind, a former NFL general manager has spoken out with a major warning to the rest of the AFC West that should scare the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs.
Former GM Delivers Warning About the Los Angeles Chargers
Mike Tannenbaum spoke out with a bold prediction for the 2026 season. He believes that the Chargers are going to win the AFC West.
“The Chargers will take a big step and win the AFC West,” Tannenbaum said. “With offensive tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater healthy, and Mike McDaniel bringing some energy, Justin Herbert & Co. get over the hump and win the division.”
It’s quite possible that his prediction becomes a reality.
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Chiefs are facing an unknown season. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL late in the 2025 season and there is some concern about his ability to start the season off on the field. As for the Broncos, Bo Nix suffered a season-ending ankle injury in the playoffs.
Los Angeles has a talented roster in place on both sides of the football. The Chargers are more than talented enough to win a championship if they play up to their full potential.
What Do the Chargers Need Entering the NFL Offseason?
Heading into the offseason, there will be plenty of questions that need to be answered and Los Angeles will also have many decisions to make as well.
Just looking at the Chargers’ list of free agents, they could be losing wide receiver Keenan Allen, pass rusher Khalil Mack, pass rusher Odafe Oweh, and running back Najee Harris. There are plenty of other names hitting the market as well.
As for what Los Angeles needs to focus on adding, there are a few positions of need.
NFL Trade Rumors has listed their top team needs as interior offensive line, edge rusher, and wide receiver. For the Chargers to win the AFC West, they’ll need to address all of those needs.
It will be interesting to see if Los Angeles is able to take the next step in 2026. Tannenbaum believes in the Chargers and they certainly should be a threat to both Kansas City and Denver.
Evan Massey Evan Massey is a sports reporter and analyst located in Indianapolis, Indiana who covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, WNBA, and college sports. He has been featured on many publications, including Newsweek, Athlon Sports, ESPN, Yahoo! Sports, Forbes, Bleacher Report, Sporting News, and many others. In his free time, Evan enjoys spending time with his wife and son. More about Evan Massey
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