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Daiyan Henley #0 celebrates a tackle with Del’Shawn Phillips #53 and Bud Dupree #48 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the first quarter against the Houston Texans at SoFi Stadium on December 27, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
There weren’t many positives to take away from the Los Angeles Chargers’ 16-3 wild-card playoff defeat to the New England Patriots.
The dismantled Chargers’ offensive line couldn’t protect quarterback Justin Herbert, who was grinding through the game with a fracture in his left hand. He was sacked six times, and the rushing attack was non-existent other than a few good runs by Herbert himself.
The Chargers’ defense wasn’t perfect, but played more than well enough to give the team a chance at victory. Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked five times, and was picked off deep in his own territory. Among the Chargers’ bright spots defensively in that game was third-year linebacker Daiyan Henley.
Los Angeles Chargers LB Daiyan Henley Named to PFF’s 2025 All-Playoff Team
While creating their 2025 All-Playoff Team, Pro Football Focus gave one of their two linebacker spots to Henley, who earned an 81.0 overall grade for his performance. Here is their analysis on him:
“Daiyan Henley had a strong regular season, and though he only played in one postseason game, he did enough to record the second-highest PFF grade among linebackers. Henley plays with his hair on fire, and he had 11 total tackles against the Patriots in the wild-card round.
“The former third-round pick was excellent across the board, registering three defensive stops, one pressure and snagging an interception. His 80.3 PFF coverage grade was third among linebackers, and Henley had the seventh-best PFF run-defense grade at the position, too. An all-around impressive performance for a player whose arrow is firmly pointed upward.”
No other Chargers player made the list. The other linebacker spot was given to Azeez Al-Shaair of the Houston Texans, who graded out at 88.1. The Texans fell victim to the Patriots in the divisional round by a final score of 28-16.
Daiyan Henley Is Facing Crucial 2026 Season
GettyLos Angeles Chargers LB Daiyan Henley
The Chargers selected Henley in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. Most of his action came on special teams as a rookie, but then he stepped into a starting role in 2024. That was a breakout season for Henley as he recording a whopping 147 tackles, one sack, one interception, and eight passes defensed.
He followed that up with another stellar year in 2025, racking up 103 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and five passes defensed. During the playoff loss Henley led the Chargers’ defense with 13 tackles. As he enters the 2026 season, he’ll have the opportunity to earn a lucrative, long-term contract.
Henley is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but it is unclear if that is currently in the Chargers’ plans. However, given the amount of salary cap space they have, they would be smart to get out ahead and extend Henley before he hits the open market in 2027.
Henley’s football background is unique. He began his collegiate career at Nevada playing wide receiver as a freshman. He switched to defense during his junior year, and made an instant impact with 103 total tackles and four interceptions, earning Second-Team All-Mountain-West honors.
Henley then transferred to Washington State as a senior in 2022, and was named First-Team All-Pac-12 after racking up 106 total tackles, four sacks, and one interception. His WR background has definitely paid dividends toward him being one of the most athletic LBs in the league. Henley may not have reached his full potential yet, which is a scary thought for the rest of the NFL.
Nick Roesch Nick Roesch covers the NFL for Heavy Sports, with a focus on the Kansas City Chiefs, Green Bay Packers, and Los Angeles Chargers. He previously covered the Chiefs for USA TODAY Sports’ Chiefs Wire, and all 32 NFL teams for A to Z Sports. Roesch’s career in sports media spans 10 years. More about Nick Roesch
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