ESPN's Bill Barnwell named Chargers veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack as one of the players in the NFL with the most pressure entering 2026.
Mack was among three other veteran players at the tail end of their careers who were named as facing the most pressure. The other two veterans named in ESPN's list are Steelers' Cameron Heyward and Saints' Cameron Jordan.
The 35-year-old Chargers edge rusher is set to enter his 13th season in the league and his fifth in Los Angeles. There's no secret that Mack was contemplating retirement; however, he still has a lot to accomplish, including winning a Super Bowl.
Mack said that's one of the main reasons he's still going at it.
“I was leaning toward coming back the whole time,” Mack said in late July. “It’s considering
this stage of life, my kids, you know what I mean? It’s that balance of being a dad and a husband and still trying to follow your dreams. I still don’t feel like I’m in a position to do both. I still spend time with my kids and my wife, but that’s the balance of football. I feel like you still get to spend time, but it takes time to figure that part out.
“I don’t want to give up on my dream.”
Outside of winning a Super Bowl, there's very little for Mack to accomplish. In his 12-year career, Mack has been named a nine-time Pro Bowler, three-time First-team All-Pro, 2016 AP Defensive Player of the Year and is a member of the Hall of Fame All-2010s Team.
Mack has fallen short of winning a Super Bowl in each of his 12 NFL seasons. On top of that, he hasn't even gotten a taste of what a playoff win feels like.
The former first-round pick hopes that all changes in 2026. The Chargers are in their own playoff drought.
Los Angeles has gone without a postseason win since 2018, despite making the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
The Chargers have all the tools to make a deep playoff run, and Mack will look to do his part in achieving that goal.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Chargers' Khalil Mack among players under most pressure in 2026
