The Chargers enter the New Year facing a familiar challenge: turning promise into postseason success. With Jim Harbaugh reshaping the culture and Justin Herbert needing to erase past playoff failures, Los Angeles must finally adopt a true championship mentality.
The regular season for the Los Angeles Chargers is nearing its conclusion, and with the playoffs rapidly approaching, the franchise finds itself at a familiar crossroads. Expectations have once again been raised, and once again, the Chargers must prove they are capable of meeting them. As the calendar turns, the focus must shift to the ultimate goal: a Super Bowl championship. While the 2025 season produced several encouraging moments, head coach Jim Harbaugh must ensure that those flashes of promise translate into something far greater in 2026.
For years, the Chargers organization has struggled in the moments that matter most. Whether fair or not, the term “Chargering” has become synonymous with heartbreaking collapses and missed opportunities. Despite the immense talent on the roster—most notably at quarterback—the team has been unable to shed this narrative. Justin Herbert, one of the most gifted passers in the NFL, remains without a signature playoff victory, largely due to recent postseason disappointments that continue to linger.
The 2025 campaign began in devastating fashion when the Chargers were dismantled by the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round. Herbert, who had thrown just three interceptions during the regular season, shockingly tossed four in that loss alone. While even elite quarterbacks can have disastrous outings, these types of games have felt all too familiar for this franchise. Chargers fans don’t need reminding of the infamous 2023 playoff collapse, when Los Angeles surrendered a 27–0 lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in one of the most stunning defeats in NFL history.
Still, the turning of the calendar offers hope. A new year presents a chance for a clean slate, and under Jim Harbaugh, the Chargers appear to be taking meaningful steps toward redefining their identity. Harbaugh has emphasized culture, accountability, and togetherness—qualities that have often been missing in previous iterations of the team. That shift has been evident in their improved performance in close games and the noticeable energy inside the locker room following wins. While banners are not raised for culture alone, the foundation for sustained contention appears to be forming.
For Herbert, the season’s end also brings a much-needed opportunity for rest and reflection. Harbaugh’s decision to rest key starters in the finale allows his franchise quarterback time to heal his broken left hand, but just as importantly, to reset mentally. Herbert must find a way to move past his postseason struggles, because this franchise’s ceiling is inseparable from his performance. Unlike other contenders with dominant defenses or elite running games, the Chargers live and die by their quarterback. When Herbert plays at his best, they are dangerous; when he falters, they have little margin for error.
As 2026 approaches, the Chargers must fully embrace a championship mindset—one that demands execution, resilience and consistency when the pressure is at its highest. Talent alone has never been the issue in Los Angeles. The question now is whether this team, under Harbaugh’s leadership, can finally change its narrative and deliver when it matters most. The New Year brings opportunity. What the Chargers do with it will define this era of the franchise.