![\"Khalil](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/gettyimages-2253752654-612x612-1-e1784658879184.jpg\")
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Chargers defender Khalil Mack<\/p>\n
New Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> defensive coordinator Chris O\u2019Leary will have a solid defensive group to help him in his first season with the franchise.<\/p>\n The Bolts had the 10th-best<\/a> scoring defense in the 2025 season, allowing 20 points per game. LA reinforced the D during the offseason, which will benefit O\u2019Leary.<\/p>\n With training camp in just over a week, Bolts fans will get their first look at the new defensive scheme. But for some players on the team, it could signal the beginning of the end of their tenure with the Chargers.<\/p>\n A Bolts beat reporter revealed a player who they believe has much on the line entering the 2026 season.<\/p>\n Chargers Pro Bowler Named with Most On the Line GettyBolts veteran predicted to be under pressure in the 2026 season<\/p>\n The Los Angeles Chargers are entering their third season of the Jim Harbaugh era. In the first two seasons under former Michigan Wolverine national-champion head coach, the Bolts have yet to advance past the AFC Wild Card Round.<\/p>\n Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Chargers hope to break that spell. Some players hope to make it past the wildcard round for the first time.<\/p>\n The Athletic had its NFL<\/a> beat reporters list a player on each roster who has the most on the line<\/a> for the 2026 season, with Bolts reporter Daniel Popper naming EDGE rusher Khalil Mack<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cMack returned to the Chargers on a one-year deal for 2026. He turned 35 in February. At this stage of his career, Mack has garnered virtually every personal accolade imaginable,\u201d Popper wrote. \u201cHe is a nine-time Pro Bowler, four-time All-Pro and Defensive Player of the Year. Team success is the only thing missing from his Hall of Fame r\u00e9sum\u00e9. It\u2019s the only reason he continues to play at this age.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMack has yet to win a playoff game in his career. He has mulled retirement numerous times over the past four years. This could be his last shot at finally earning that postseason win \u2014 and a Super Bowl ring.\u201d<\/p>\n The EDGE rusher has registered 113 sacks since being drafted with the fifth pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Mack has also recorded 663 tackles, 36 forced fumbles and 43 pass deflections.<\/p>\n The defender has also been named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and is considered one of the best defensive players of his generation.<\/p>\n With the lack of a Super Bowl in his cabinet, the All-Pro defender is returning for another season in hopes of winning the Lombardi Trophy.<\/p>\n Khalil Mack returned to the Chargers on a one-year, $18 million deal.<\/p>\n Khalil Mack Explains Decision to Return to LA GettyThe pass rusher reveals why he returned to the Chargers<\/p>\n Khalil Mack was a free agent in the 2026 offseason and wanted to play. The defender was set to hit free agency, but returned to the Bolts on a one-year deal before it officially began.<\/p>\n The pass rusher spoke to media<\/a> during OTAs and was asked about his decision to return to Los Angeles. Here\u2019s what he had to say:<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of different things went into it, but ultimately this is where me and my family want to be\u2026 Playing high-level football and just knowing this group of guys\u2026 I can\u2019t really see [myself] being no where else\u2026 Just the high level, high character guys around here.\u201d<\/p>\n Training camp will begin soon and could be the last camp for Khalil Mack.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tJason Garcia<\/a> Jason Garcia is a sports contributor for Heavy Sports who joined the team in 2025, covering the New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers. More about Jason Garcia<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty Los Angeles Chargers defender Khalil Mack New Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O\u2019Leary will have a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":952068,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2064],"tags":[241,7,1014,262,2444,2443,6],"class_list":["post-952067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-los-angeles-chargers","tag-chargers","tag-football","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-chargers","tag-losangeles","tag-losangeleschargers","tag-nfl"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116961470687990663","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/952067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=952067"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/952067\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/952068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=952067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=952067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=952067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Khalil](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2253747879-e1772332352580.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-1712246389-e1772968678209.jpg\")
<\/p>\n