Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season

As the Los Angeles Chargers enter the final stretch of the 2025 NFL season, a growing list of injuries has cast a shadow over their playoff aspirations. What began as isolated setbacks—minor tweaks to role players—has evolved into a series of impactful losses, with key contributors on both offense and defense sidelined or playing through pain. From a franchise quarterback’s lingering shoulder soreness to a star running back’s knee sprain, these injuries have forced the Chargers to shuffle their lineup, adjust their game plan, and rely on untested reserves. Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season examines the most pressing injury issues, how they’ve weakened the team’s performance, and the difficult choices coaches and front office staff now face to keep the season on track. For a team that entered the year with high expectations, the mounting injury concerns have turned a promising campaign into a test of resilience.

Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season starts with the most critical worry: quarterback Justin Herbert’s ongoing shoulder injury. Herbert first sustained the injury in Week 13 against the Kansas City Chiefs, when he was sacked four times and landed awkwardly on his non-throwing shoulder. Initial tests ruled out structural damage, but the soreness has persisted, forcing the team to limit his practice reps and list him as “questionable” for two consecutive games. While Herbert has suited up for both matchups, his performance has noticeably dipped—his completion rate dropped from 68% pre-injury to 60% in the last two games, and he’s avoided deep throws to protect his shoulder. “Justin is a warrior, but you can see he’s not 100%,” a team source told reporters anonymously. “He’s trying to play through it for the team, but there’s a risk of making it worse if he takes another hard hit.” The Chargers’ backup quarterback, Easton Stick, has just one career start, leaving the team vulnerable if Herbert is forced to miss time—a scenario that would likely derail their playoff hopes entirely.

A second major injury concern, highlighted in Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season, centers on the running back room, where Austin Ekeler and Isaiah Spiller have both dealt with knee issues. Ekeler, the team’s leading rusher (750 yards, 8 touchdowns), suffered a Grade 1 MCL sprain in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos and was ruled out for Week 16. Spiller, who stepped in for Ekeler and rushed for 620 yards this season, then tweaked his knee in practice leading up to Week 16, leaving the Chargers with Joshua Kelley—who has just 420 yards and 2 touchdowns—as their only healthy running back. The loss of Ekeler and Spiller has crippled the Chargers’ rushing attack, which ranked 12th in the NFL before the injuries but dropped to 22nd in the last two games. “Our running game is a huge part of our offense, and losing Austin and Isaiah back-to-back has been a blow,” offensive coordinator Kellen Moore admitted. “Joshua has stepped up, but he’s not the same dynamic playmaker—we’ve had to adjust our scheme to fit his strengths, which limits what we can do.” The rushing struggles have also put more pressure on Herbert, forcing him to throw more frequently and increasing his exposure to hits.

Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season also delves into the defensive side, where the secondary has been decimated by injuries. Starting cornerback Michael Davis (hamstring), backup cornerback Tay Gowan (ankle), and safety Alohi Gilman (quad) have all missed multiple games, leaving the Chargers with just five healthy defensive backs. To compensate, the team has been forced to use nickel packages less frequently—even against pass-heavy offenses—and rely on practice squad elevations who lack NFL experience. The results have been stark: the Chargers, who ranked 15th in the NFL in passing yards allowed before the injuries, have since dropped to 28th, allowing an average of 280 passing yards per game in the last three weeks. For the Los Angeles Chargers, the secondary injuries have exposed a lack of depth that the front office failed to address in the off-season. “We thought we had enough depth in the secondary, but injuries have proven otherwise,” defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley said. “We’re asking young players to step into key roles against some of the best wide receivers in the league, and it’s been a challenge. We’re doing our best to coach them up, but there’s no substitute for game experience.”

Another pressing injury concern, explored in Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season, involves the offensive line—a unit that has already been reshuffled multiple times due to injuries. Left tackle Rashawn Slater, a Pro Bowl-caliber player, missed four games with an ankle sprain earlier in the season, and while he’s returned, he’s been limited in practice and has admitted to playing through pain. Right guard Zion Johnson also missed two games with a knee injury, and backup center Will Clapp is currently sidelined with a concussion. The line’s instability has led to more sacks (the Chargers have allowed 8 sacks in the last three games, up from their season average of 2.2 per game) and has hindered the running game. For the Los Angeles Chargers, a healthy offensive line is critical to protecting Herbert and creating holes for the running backs—making these injuries particularly damaging. “Our offensive line is the backbone of our offense, and when they’re banged up, everything else suffers,” head coach Brandon Staley said. “Rashawn is playing through a lot, and we appreciate his toughness, but we have to be careful not to burn him out. We’re balancing winning now with keeping him healthy for the long haul.”

Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season also examines the mental toll of these injuries, which has begun to affect team morale. Players have spoken of frustration at seeing teammates sidelined, and the constant lineup changes have disrupted chemistry—particularly on defense, where communication is key. “It’s hard to build momentum when you’re playing with a new group every week,” safety Derwin James Jr. said. “We’re all professionals, and we’re doing our best, but it’s not easy to step in and play like a cohesive unit when you haven’t practiced together much.” The coaching staff has tried to mitigate this by adding extra walkthroughs and film sessions, but the damage has already been done: the Chargers have lost two of their last three games, and their playoff odds have dropped from 62% to 38cording to Football Outsiders. For the Los Angeles Chargers, the mental resilience of the team will be just as important as their physical health in the final weeks. “Injuries are part of the NFL, but how you respond to them defines your team,” Staley said. “We’re not making excuses—we’re focusing on what we can control, and we’re going to fight until the end.”

Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season concludes with a sobering assessment of the team’s remaining options. The front office could sign free agents to address depth issues, but most available players lack the talent or familiarity with the Chargers’ system to make an immediate impact. Coaches could continue to adjust their game plan—leaning more on the passing game if the running back room stays banged up, or simplifying the defense to reduce communication errors—but those adjustments have limits. Ultimately, the Chargers’ season will likely hinge on two factors: the health of Herbert and whether the remaining healthy players can elevate their play to compensate for the losses. “We’re in a tough spot, but we’re not out of it,” Herbert said in a recent press conference. “We have three games left, and we’re going to give everything we have. We owe it to ourselves, to our teammates who are hurt, and to the fans who support us.” In the end, Injury Concerns Loom Over the Los Angeles Chargers' Season isn’t just a story about injuries—it’s a story about a team fighting to overcome adversity, even when the odds seem stacked against them.