joe alt

NASHVILLE — The Chargers won the battle but lost the warrior.

They held off the Tennessee Titans 27-20, but saw their outstanding left tackle Joe Alt go down with the same injured ankle that sidelined him earlier this season.

It was a troubling and ominous blow Sunday to a franchise that’s in a constant state of reshuffling its offensive line and unable to sufficiently protect quarterback Justin Herbert. Before losing Alt, the Chargers lost right tackle Bobby Hart to what they called a groin injury (but looked to be a hurt leg).

On a cool and overcast day, the Chargers had enough to get past the one-win Titans — the Chargers (6-3) were favored by 9½ points — but will face far stiffer competition in the second half of the season. The Titans haven’t won at home since last Nov. 4.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh helps offensive tackle Bobby Hart off the field in the first half.

(John Amis / Associated Press)

Herbert, who ran for 62 yards in the Week 8 win over Minnesota, again provided the bulk of the Chargers’ running game. He led all rushers with 57 yards in nine carries, including a one-yard touchdown.

The Titans fired coach Brian Callahan last month after the team got off to a 1-5 start, putting in place interim coach Mike McCoy, who was head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 2013 to 2016.

The Chargers absorbed a huge blow in the second quarter when Alt went down with an ankle injury, the same ankle that caused him to miss three games earlier this season. Alt, the best player on the offensive line, had returned for the Week 8 game against Minnesota and his presence was noticeable in both run blocking and protection of Herbert’s blind side.

Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston catches a touchdown pass next to Tennessee Titans cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis during the first half Sunday.

(John Amis / Associated Press)

But Sunday, he was felled by 285-pound Titans edge rusher Jihad Ward, who was blocked into the back of Alt’s legs. Alt sat on the turf for a few minutes, surrounded by Chargers medical staff, before a cart rolled onto the field to take him off.

It was the latest setback for an offensive line besieged by them this season, and an indication that Herbert will remain the most hit and harassed quarterback in the league this season.

Even though the Titans were without defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, their best player, Herbert was still under near-constant pressure.

Herbert threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half, although his first throw was abysmal. It was straight into the arms of Tennessee linebacker Cody Barton, who turned the visitors’ second play from scrimmage into a 24-yard pick-six.

As he does virtually every week, Herbert picked up some big gains with his feet. He had a 39-yard scramble in the second quarter, and rolled out in the fourth and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season, sliding in from a yard out. That capped a 15-play, nine-minute, 99-yard drive in response to a goal-line stand.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by Tennessee Titans linebacker Jihad Ward during the second half Sunday.

(George Walker IV / Associated Press)

The Titans (1-8), who have had troubles moving the ball in the red zone, scored their second touchdown of the half on a 67-yard punt return by rookie Chimere Dike, who leads the NFL in all-purpose yards.

Those issues in the red zone were on display in the third quarter, when the Titans had four plays inside the 10 and couldn’t score, including third and fourth downs from the one.

Anchoring the middle of the Chargers’ defense was Daiyan Henley, playing two days after his older brother was shot and killed. After a sack in the first half, the third-year linebacker dropped to his knees and turned his palms to the sky and held out his hands in prayer.

Edge rusher Odafe Oweh had a pair of sacks, bringing his total to four in four games since being traded to the Chargers by Baltimore last month.

Khalil Mack unspooled his elbow wrap and removed his brace as he spoke to reporters Thursday for the first time since sustaining his injury last month. Does Mack, the Chargers’ star outside linebacker, believe he can play Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts?

“For sure,” he said.

That will ultimately be up to general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh, Mack said. The 34-year-old, in his fourth season with the Chargers, said he’s “slightly ready to go” if his number is called upon, just days after his 21-day activation window opened Tuesday.

Mack was listed as questionable Friday, along with wide receiver Derius Davis, linebacker Troy Dye, offensive lineman Jamaree Salyer and linebacker Denzel Perryman. Running back Hassan Haskins also was listed as questionable after practicing all week.

Offensive tackle Joe Alt (ankle) was listed as doubtful for Sunday. Alt practiced Thursday and Friday.

“I’m not going to say I can or can’t,” Alt said Wednesday when asked whether he’d play. “We’re just going to continue to progress and see where it means for me going forward.”

Defensive back Elijah Molden (thumb) did not practice all week and was also listed as doubtful. Wide receiver Quentin Johnston (hamstring) is set to play after missing last week’s win over the Miami Dolphins.

The Chargers were blindsided in the truest sense.

Eleven days after signing a contract extension that made him the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman in history, Chargers left tackle Rashawn Slater went down in training camp with a knee injury that ended his 2025 season.

It was the latest crushing blow to a franchise with a withering track record of losing key players at the most inopportune times.

“It’s like a gut punch to the solar plexus,” coach Jim Harbaugh said in the aftermath of the July 27 injury. “Takes the wind out of you.”

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Sam Farmer talks about the impact Rashawn Slater’s season-ending injury will have on the Chargers.

This is where coaching and creativity kick in. It’s musical chairs along the offensive line as the Chargers scramble to protect the blind side of franchise quarterback Justin Herbert without handcuffing their offense by committing too many resources to doing so.

The challenge is profound but not unique. Teams have navigated these choppy waters before.

“The basis of your pass [protection] basically is, you pay a ton of money to somebody that’s just going to lock down that end, the blind side,” retired NFL quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said. “The blind side. They made a whole movie about it. That’s where you spend your money.”

When quarterback Rich Gannon was preparing for an opponent, the first offensive meeting of the week was about protections. How are we going to block these guys?

“We’d start by drawing five guys on the board, our offensive line,” Gannon said. “You’re just like, ‘OK, we’re going to build an offensive line.’ And we’d start with the left tackle, right? We’d just draw a big dollar sign. That’s the guy you have to pay. That’s the guy you have to have.”

In the case of the Chargers, erase that dollar sign from the board.

“When you lose a guy like that, there’s a trickle-down effect,” Gannon said. “You have to find someone to replace him. Now, what does that mean for our protection plan?

“Very few teams have a guy that can step in without a drop-off. And you’re talking about a Pro Bowl-caliber player at left tackle, there’s usually a significant difference when the backup goes in.”

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, left, and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater walk off the field after a win over the New Orleans Saints in October.

(Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)

Even in this abysmal situation, there are flickers of positivity for the Chargers. First, they are moving Joe Alt from right tackle to left, where he spent his illustrious college career at Notre Dame. The Chargers used the fifth overall pick in 2024 on the 6-foot-8, 322-pound Alt, who Harbaugh says has Hall of Fame potential. Having Alt in the mix is a huge bonus for the club.

Still, switching from right to left tackle is no small feat.

“People think it’s just easy to play on the offensive line, and if you’re a right tackle you should be able to play on the left, but it’s not the same,” Hall of Fame defensive end Dwight Freeney said. “Everything is different. You have muscle memory and different repetitions that you’ve done constantly. Doing something the same way all the time. One way.

“It’s not easy to pick up, switch your feet and go to the other side. The guard positions and center are more interchangeable, but when you start messing with your tackles, especially your left tackle, that’s a problem.”

More good news for the Chargers is that swing tackle Trey Pipkins is a blocker who can play on both ends of the offensive line. He too is returning to a familiar spot, as he was a right tackle at the University of Sioux Falls.

The Chargers will be tested right away. Their first three games are against division opponents, and their third is against Denver, which led the NFL last season with an average of 3.6 sacks per game.

“You’re going to have to start the season making sure you’ve got a back over there on the left side, or a tight end in passing situations just to make sure the quarterback doesn’t get whacked,” said Mike Tice, the onetime Minnesota Vikings head coach whose specialty is coaching offensive lines. “You’ve got to have a plan going into the season. If you don’t have a plan going in, you’re truly [doomed].”

Gannon said the Chargers are especially fortunate to have Greg Roman as their offensive coordinator, because Roman showed exceptional creativity in Baltimore beefing up their front with extra linemen and fullback Patrick Ricard, nicknamed “Pancake Pat” for his ability to flatten people in his path.

“They dressed it up with the Ravens,” said Gannon, an analyst for Sirius/XM NFL Radio. “Seven offensive linemen on the field. You’d get the defense to go big, then throw it.”

Gannon sees the versatile Scott Matlock playing the Ricard role for the Chargers. Matlock, listed on the roster as a fullback, is 6-4 and 296.

“His role is going to expand,” the retired quarterback predicted. “That’s how you do it. That’s how you build in protection when you’re down a left tackle.”

And though Harbaugh described the setback as a gut punch, Hasselbeck noted there’s a thread of a silver lining.

“From the front-office part of it, this is actually not the worst timing,” he said. “Not that there are great left tackles on the street, but at least you can do something now in training camp.

“It’s not as dire as losing your star guy on Friday before Week 1, or losing him during Week 1. Also, when guys get hurt early in the year and you lose them for the season, they’re more ready to go earlier in the offseason the next year.”

Big blocker. Small consolation.

A day after losing the cornerstone of their offensive line, the mood around the Chargers’ training facility remained the same — somber.

“It’s like a gut punch into the solar plexus — takes the wind out of you,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Don’t really have the words or am able to think about anything else. Man, just feel bad.”

It was the first day of moving forward with a new-look offensive line after learning Rashawn Slater ruptured his patellar tendon — an injury that will require him to undergo season-ending surgery.

Even with the need to move forward, Slater remained on everyone’s mind. Harbaugh said he was confident Slater would overcome the setback.

“I also know how he’ll attack the rehab and train, and he’ll be back,” Harbaugh said. “Not this season, but I know he’ll be back.”

For Joe Alt — the other half of one of the best offensive tackle duos in the NFL — it was difficult to accept that the man who mentored him during his rookie season last year would not be playing in 2025.

“I’m praying for him,” Alt said. “I know what he’s going to do. I know he’s going to recover and he’s going to attack it and be back better than ever.”

The mindset in the offensive line room has shifted with Slater out. They are determined to stay focused on honoring him through their play.

“We’re brothers,” Alt said. “Yes, one fell down, and the goal is to play as well as five is one, and the only way we can do that is by moving forward and playing the best we can, to do what he would want us to do.”

Trey Pipkins III, who has moved into a potential starting role at right tackle because of the injury, said he spoke with Slater, whose “spirits are as good as they can be,” adding Slater was “joking around a little.”

Slater’s absence presents an opportunity for Pipkins, who is in the final year of his contract and returning to a position he played for his first five seasons before a brief shift to guard last season.

While Harbaugh said nothing is set, Pipkins — who started at right tackle in both 2022 and 2023 — will get the first look at the spot. Jamaree Salyer, who Harbaugh praised for a strong showing throughout camp, also could challenge for the starting role.

For now, the offensive line consists of Alt moving to left tackle, Zion Johnson at right guard, Bradley Bozeman at center, Mekhi Becton at left guard and Pipkins at right tackle, according to Harbaugh.

With the loss of depth on the offensive line, the team plans to explore the free-agent market and expects to bring in players for workouts Saturday before the preseason game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

Najee Harris’ status remains unclear

A potential return timeline for running back Najee Harris, who has been on the non-football injury/illness list since a July 4 fireworks incident, remains unclear.

Harris began walking laps at practice on Aug. 2, wearing a helmet with a visor and cleats, but has yet to progress further in his recovery. Harbaugh remained vague about when Harris might practice or play for the Chargers.

When asked if Harris would be ready for the Chargers’ season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs in Brazil — which Harris’ agent, Doug Hendrickson, said he expects — Harbaugh replied, “There is a chance.”

Like with most player injury updates, Harbaugh deferred to his lack of medical expertise when asked if the injury was still just “superficial,” as first reported, or something more serious.

Two days ago, Harris posted a photo on Snapchat showing his left eye completely shut, captioned: “WE AT IT.”

“I don’t comment on it because I am not a doctor,” Harbaugh said. “I’m not Mr. Harris’ agent, either. I’m talking about what I know, and can he open his eye? Yeah. I’ve looked into his eye.”

Rashawn Slater, the Chargers’ star left tackle who became the highest-paid offensive lineman in NFL history last month, sustained a torn patellar tendon in practice and will undergo season-ending surgery, the team announced Thursday.

Slater went down in team drills after going up against edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu. As Slater planted his left foot, he collapsed to the ground and immediately grabbed his leg.

A quiet hush fell over the Chargers’ facility while Slater stayed down for several minutes before trainers and teammates helped him onto a cart. Slater appeared visibly distraught — throwing his helmet, slamming his hand on the cart and burying his face in his hands. Several teammates walked over to console him before he left the field.

Two trainers supported him as he entered the team facility. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg.

“I didn’t really see anything — I kind of just turned around and boom,” Tuipulotu said of the play. “We’re praying for him.”

The injury is a significant setback for a Chargers team that was hoping to have Slater anchor an offensive line that was hampered by injuries and struggled, at times, to create opportunities for the running game last season. The injury comes as the Chargers are already dealing with depth concerns along the line, with Mekhi Becton being sidelined since July 28 because of an undisclosed injury.

Slater played a valuable role in helping the Chargers set a franchise record for the fewest offensive turnovers (eight) in a season. He also finished 2024 with the second-best overall grade and the third-best pass-blocking grade at offensive tackle, per Pro Football Focus.

Joe Alt slid over to left tackle for the remainder of practice Thursday. Trey Pipkins III subbed in at right tackle — where he started in 2022 and 2023 — before spending most of last season at right guard, starting 15 games. With Slater out, Alt likely will be Justin Herbert’s blindside protector this season.

Slater signed a four-year, $113-million contract extension on July 27 that included $92 million guaranteed. The guaranteed amount is the most ever for an NFL offensive lineman.

Allen happy to be back

Keenan Allen always envisioned a return to the Chargers. Once his brief stint with the Chicago Bears ended, he saw himself coming back to the franchise that drafted him.

“It was close to home and family,” Allen said. “This is what I’m used to. The organization, the people around the building — it just feels like home.”

Thursday marked Allen’s first day back in powder blue and gold — a welcome sight for fans who watched his climb over 11 seasons.

On his first snap of full-team drills, Allen hauled in a strike over the middle from Justin Herbert, reigniting a familiar connection that lasted four seasons.

The two began rebuilding their chemistry last Friday, when Herbert threw to Allen during a private workout. Allen said they stayed in touch throughout the process leading up to his return.

Allen said he missed being on the receiving end of Herbert’s throws and is “just happy to be back.”

“This is where I’m supposed to be,” Allen said.

He is the veteran leader of a receiving room that looks much different than the one he left, with Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis the only holdovers from two seasons ago.

“[It’s] much better than what I’m used to seeing in a training camp this early,” Allen said of his first impressions. “The technique, the way they’re getting downfield, the way they’re pressing coverages — I think it looks great.”

Allen shared how impressed he’s been with Ladd McConkey, who broke his franchise rookie receiving records, joking, “He had a few more games.”

“You’ve got two guys who love to play football and compete,” said Allen, on sharing the field with McConkey. “You can put us anywhere. … And obviously, he showed that last year.”

Throughout the offseason, Allen felt teams “downplayed” his value. Entering his 13th season, he’s out to prove he can still perform at a high level at 33.

“Still got a little hunger, little chip on my shoulder and still want to go out there and play ball,” Allen said.