On Tuesday, the Chargers announced 10 players who will serve as captains during the 2026 season.
Representing the offense are quarterback Justin Herbert, left tackle Rashawn Slater, right tackle Joe Alt, and wide receiver Ladd McConkey. Defensively, you won’t find many finer captains to represent that unit than safety Derwin James and edge rusher Khalil Mack. Joining them are fellow edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu, safety Elijah Molden, and linebacker Daiyan Henley.
As for the special teams unit, longtime
veteran long snapper Josh Harris is their representative.
Among these 10 players are three first-time captains in McConkey, Molden, and Tuipulotu.
McConkey has led the Chargers in receiving yards in each of his first two seasons as a pro and will enter this season with sky-high expectations as he looks to get back to his rookie production. Molden was a spark plug for the 2024 defense in his first year as a Charger and showed a steady presence in 2025 while dealing with the ramifications of his season-ending injury the year before. Tuipulotu broke out in year three with 20 tackles for loss and 13 sacks en route to being named to his first Pro Bowl.
