Chargers lose Rashawn Slater for season with patellar rupture - ESPN

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Los Angeles Chargers Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater will miss the 2025 season with a ruptured patellar tendon suffered in practice Thursday, the team said.

Slater will undergo surgery and be placed on injured reserve.

A frustrated Slater left Thursday's practice on a medical cart. He had begun blocking outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu during a team drill but began collapsing before Tuipulotu rushed him and immediately grabbed his left leg. Slater was down with an athletic trainer for a few minutes as safety Derwin James Jr. and linebacker Denzel Perryman prayed. Eventually, Slater, unable to put weight on the leg, was helped to his feet by trainers and teammates.

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Tuipulotu said after practice that he didn't see what happened to Slater, but was praying and wishing for the best.

«That's just something you don't want to see,» Tuipulotu said. «Not only Rashawn, but any of our players.»

Many Chargers players approached and comforted Slater on the medical cart as he exited practice. Slater was noticeably distraught on the way into the facility, slamming his fist on the cart and throwing his helmet.

Just 11 days ago, Slater signed a four-year, $113 million contract extension, including $92 million guaranteed. The deal made him the highest-paid offensive lineman by average annual pay in NFL history.

Coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman predicate their offenses on dominant rushing attacks, and because of that, offensive linemen are perhaps the team's most important players.