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Justin Herbert, Chargers Dealt Unfortunate Blow on Monday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 6:41 PM ET

The Los Angeles Chargers suffered their first loss of the new NFL season on Sunday. This came in the form of a 21-18 defeat against rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants, who, for their part, got their first win of the campaign.

The defeat came at a significant cost for the Chargers, too, as they lost left tackle Joe Alt to an ankle injury during the game. The No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft was unable to return after being carted off the field, and it has now been revealed that Alt has suffered a significant injury that will keep him sidelined for an extended period.

According to NFL Network national insider Ian Rapoport, it’s going to be a multi-week absence for the former Notre Dame star.

“The MRI has confirmed that it’s a high-ankle sprain for Joe Alt, sources say. He’ll seek various opinions to determine how long he’s out. But expected to be several weeks,” Rapoport reported on X.

This is a significant blow for the Chargers’ offensive line, with Alt now joining Rashawn Slater on the injury list. Slater suffered a season-ending injury before Week 1, which saw Alt take on the crucial LT role to protect quarterback Justin Herbert’s blindside.

The fact that Alt is now out for multiple weeks means that Herbert and the Chargers have no choice but to rely on third-string tackle Austin Deculus in the interim.

The 3-1 Chargers will be back in action on Sunday in a home matchup against the 2-2 Washington Commanders. L.A. will want to get back to winning ways in Week 5, but they will have to do it with an undermanned offensive line.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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