Chargers’ rising star looks to match Khalil Mack’s elite play

Tuli Tuipulotu is entering his third NFL season with very high expectations, and he is making it clear that he is doing everything necessary to meet them. The Los Angeles Chargers defender talked to the media on Friday and had some great words to say in regards to his fellow teammate Khalil Mack. 

"My standard is to play [like Khalil]. He is the standard…I’m doing my best so there's no drop off like, Khalil is here, let's slide to him…We got to make it so there's two elite edge rushers on the side where we could both go and dominate; they don't know who to slide to or who to double, who to chip. He's the standard, that's what I'm chasing." Tuipulotu said to the Chargers media. 

Tuipulotu’s development over his first two seasons has been very impressive. As just a rookie in 2023, he showed tons of potential when he racked up 4.5 sacks and 53 total tackles. This past season, he took an even bigger step, leading the team with 8.5 sacks and adding 42 total tackles. He can impact the game in multiple ways, and his ability to generate constant pressure has been a key reason for the Chargers' defensive success. 

What makes his development even more promising is his elite mindset to be great. Despite only being 22 years old, he has been able to study from a few great veterans like Bud Dupree, Joey Bosa and, of course, Khalil Mack himself. Learning and studying Mack’s game makes a ton of sense. The former Defensive Player of the Year and nine-time Pro Bowler is still playing at an elite level. By learning from him, Tuipulotu may be able to pick up some of the smaller nuances that have made Mack a future Hall of Famer. 

Off the field, Mack has been described as an incredible leader. For Tuipulotu, who is still growing and maturing with his team, following Mack’s leadership could give the Chargers a future cornerstone in the locker room. Jim Harbaugh and his staff have made culture a priority, and it seems like Tuipulotu could be the next man up to continue this movement. 

With the new Harbaugh era in full effect in L.A., the team will need more young stars to step up, and Tuipulotu appears ready to be one of them. If he continues to grow, he could soon become more than just a rising star. Soon, he may be the one setting the standard for the Chargers defense for years to come.