Khalil Mack, the nine-time Pro Bowl pass rusher, is set to play in 2026 after considering retirement. A source confirmed to ESPN that Mack, 35, will explore all options as he is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the second time in his 12-year NFL career.
Chargers Hope to Re-Sign Mack
The Los Angeles Chargers are hoping to re-sign Mack, as they did last year. Mack, the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, had 5.5 sacks in 2025. This was the second-lowest mark of his career, partly due to an elbow injury that sidelined him for four games.
Despite the injury, Mack’s impact on the Chargers’ defence was evident when he was healthy. In the four weeks Mack was absent, L.A. allowed 579 yards rushing, the sixth-most in the NFL. However, from Week 7 until Week 18 – when most Chargers starters sat out – L.A. allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards (1,046).
Mack’s Career and Playoff Disappointment
Mack had hoped to win his first playoff game and make a Super Bowl run with the Chargers. However, he fell to 0-6 in the postseason with L.A.’s loss to the New England Patriots.
“I want to ultimately be a champion,” Mack said at his end-of-season news conference. Mack was selected with the fifth pick in the 2014 draft by the Raiders and spent his first four seasons in Oakland. He was traded to the Chicago Bears at the beginning of the 2018 campaign and then dealt to the Chargers in 2022.
Mack’s NFL Career in Numbers
- Mack’s 113 career sacks rank seventh among active players.
- He was the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year.
- He was selected with the fifth pick in the 2014 draft.
NFL Network first reported Mack’s plans to play in 2026.