By admin 
The Los Angeles Chargers are blessed to have two bona fide pass-rushing threats in veteran Khalil Mack and rising young star Tuli Tuipulotu. Tuipulotu posted 13 sacks, 23 quarterback hits, 20 tackles for loss, three passes defended and two forced fumbles while earning his first Pro Bowl nod last year in his third NFL season.
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Mack, meanwhile, has seen his production drop somewhat over the previous two seasons. In 2025, he had 5.5 sacks, 11 QB hits, six tackles for loss and four forced fumbles, and he was limited to 12 games due to a dislocated elbow.
There was speculation that 2025 would be his last season, but he instead agreed to a one-year, $18 million fully guaranteed contract in March. While this could be his last season in the NFL, he doesn’t seem to feel that way.
Mack says he feels very spry
The 35-year-old has 12 years of NFL wear and tear on his body, but he says he feels much, much younger, per Kris Rhim of ESPN.
“I feel 21, man,” Mack said. “I feel young and ready to go.”
It wasn’t that long ago when Mack was a scary force. The most recent of his nine Pro Bowl nods came in 2024, and in 2023, he had 17 sacks, 22 QB hits, 21 tackles for loss, 10 passes defended and five forced fumbles.
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The good news is that thanks to Tuipulotu’s emergence, as well as the presence of promising rookie edge rusher Akheem Mesidor, Mack doesn’t necessarily have to play at the level he did during the 2023 campaign for Los Angeles to be successful this season.
His snap counts have gone down from roughly 80%, which is where they were for most of his career, to 61% in 2024 and 60% last year. If Mesidor, who was the No. 22 pick in April’s draft out of the University of Miami, turns out to be a stud, it would allow the Chargers to preserve Mack even more.
Some are predicting the Chargers will have defensive issues since they have a new defensive coordinator in Chris O’Leary. But if Mack really does feel as youthful as he says he does, and if he continues to feel youthful and spry over the course of this season, he could help them be very solid on that side of the football.
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This story was originally published September 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM.