The Los Angeles Chargers will take the field and kick off their regular season on Friday night against the Kansas City Chiefs. Though the opponent will be familiar, the venue will not, as this game will take place in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The Chargers had a mostly positive preseason, but the season-ending injury sustained by left tackle Rashawn Slater remains the biggest hit any team took this offseason.
The Chargers have announced their team captains for the upcoming season and have chosen six players along with two alternates. They are:
QB Justin Herbert
LT Joe Alt
C Bradley Bozeman
LB Daiyan Henley
Edge Khalil Mack
S Derwin James
Bryan Toporek of Bleacher Report shared these thoughts on the announcement:
"The Chargers chose three offensive captains and three defensive captains, along with an alternate on each side of the ball.
Veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen is the alternate on offense, while linebacker Denzel Perryman is the alternate on defense.
Picking two offensive linemen underscores how important their jobs are in keeping Herbert upright this season.
James and Mack are among the best at their respective positions in the NFL, while Henley is a first-time captain after leading the team with 147 total tackles last season."
Alt, in just his second season, was already primed for a big role this season, but after having to slide over to the left side to replace Slater, a lot will be expected of him this year. Bradley Bozeman, much-maligned by a good portion of the team's fanbase, is a player Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman believe in.
The other names on this list are not much of a surprise, but it is nice to see Daiyan Henley get the nod after the breakout season he had in 2024.
James has already played in 82 games for the Chargers but is still looking to be part of the first playoff victory since his rookie season. He lined up at multiple positions for the team last year and could do the same again this season as safety Elijah Molden allows the defense to be more flexible.
READ: Trade packages that could allow Chargers to move on from Quentin Johnston
Herbert, entering his sixth season with the team, has already made 79 career starts, the same number Stan Humphries had in his career with the team. John Hadl, Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers are the only quarterbacks in team history with more.
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