THE MACK FILE
Three-time First-team All-MAC, 2011-13
Jack Lambert Trophy, 2013
Three-time First-team All-MAC, 2011-13
MAC Defensive Player of the Year, 2013
PFWA All-Rookie Team, 2014
NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
Two-time Butkus Award, 2016, 2018
Three-time, First-team, All-Pro, 2015, 2016, 2018
By Lenn Robbins
Khalil Mack is a member of the Over 30 Club, which means:
- His skills must be slipping.
- He’s not as durable as he once was.
That’s the narrative when a player 30 or over has his first season in which he misses multiple games due to injury. Such was the case last season for Mack in what turned out to be his last year with the Chicago Bears.
After missing just two games in his first seven seasons, Mack needed foot surgery in 2021 and played in just seven games. It didn’t matter that he had six sacks, almost one per game and was showing no signs of slowing down.
He was over 30 – end of story.
Mack was traded to the Chargers for a second-round pick in 2022 and a sixth-round in 2023. He’s been reunited with L.A. coach Brandon Staley who was Mack’s linebackers coach with the Bears. Mack will work opposite Joey Bosa in what could be the most-feared pass-rushing duo in the league.
We’re predicting Mack will be a contender for Comeback Player of the Year, if not flat out win it. Because 30 isn’t football fatal.