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Rashawn Slater injury update: Devastating news emerges on Chargers star

ns_headshot_2024-clearby: Nick Schultz08/07/25NickSchultz_7
Los Angeles Chargers OL Rashawn Slater
© Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Chargers stalwart offensive lineman Rashawn Slater suffered a torn patellar tendon in practice Thursday, the franchise announced. He will undergo surgery and miss the 2025 season.

Slater was carted off the field Thursday with a left leg injury, and teammates came up to hug him as he headed into the building. He also slammed his helmet down in frustration and was helped into the facility by two trainers, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.

Slater recently signed a lucrative contract with the Chargers worth $114 million over four years. Now, he will miss the 2025 season.

“Rashawn Slater sustained a torn patellar tendon in today’s practice and will undergo surgery to repair the injury,” the Chargers said in a statement. “He will miss the 2025 season and be placed on Injured Reserve.”

Slater was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft following a standout career at Northwestern. He was a third team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore in 2018 and became an anchor of the Wildcats’ offensive line. Through the early part of his NFL career, Slater has been to two Pro Bowls – including last year – and was a second team All-Pro selection in 2021.

Slater then became an even more important part of the Chargers offensive line after Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach last season. Harbaugh brought in Greg Roman as offensive coordinator, meaning Los Angeles would rely on the offensive line to help establish its run-first offense. In fact, when he was introduced last offseason, Harbaugh spoke about just how highly he thinks of offensive linemen when compared to other “weapons.”

“I know the questions are going to come up and you’re going to say, ‘Well, what about a weapon?’ Offensive linemen, we look at as weapons,” Harbaugh said, via ESPN’s Kris Rhim. “That group, when we talk about attacking on offense, [the] offensive line is the tip of the spear.”

Harbaugh is gearing up for his second season as the Chargers’ head coach following an impressive debut year in Los Angeles. The franchise went 11-6 to make the NFL playoffs, falling to the Houston Texans in the first round. That came after Harbaugh led Michigan to the mountaintop as his alma mater won the college football national championship in 2023.

It’s not the first time Harbaugh found success as an NFL head coach. He previously led the San Francisco 49ers to a 44-19-1 record over four years at the helm.