A bad situation on the Chargers offensive line just got worse, as the team announced Monday that standout left tackle Joe Alt will undergo season-ending ankle surgery.
Alt, who missed three games earlier in the season because of an ankle injury, re-injured the same ankle during Sunday’s victory at the Tennessee Titans when linebacker Jihad Ward was blocked into the back of his legs.
“Feel bad for Joe,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. “I know it’s going to be OK. It’s not going to be life-altering. Feel bad for him.”
The Chargers’ offensive line has been in a constant state of flux since left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending knee injury at training camp, a mere 10 days after signing a record-breaking contract extension.
“I think like anything in sports, it’s adversity,” Harbaugh said. “You just do the best you can and you get better. Never give up. Those three key elements. Maybe a lesser team, lesser man wouldn’t find a way to do that, but that’s what we do.”
Alt, a first-round pick in 2024, moved from right tackle to left to fill that void, shouldering the responsibility of protecting the blind side of quarterback Justin Herbert.
But Alt went down in a Week 4 game at the New York Giants, and was sidelined for the next three weeks. He returned for a Thursday night victory over Minnesota, and his presence was felt both as a protector and a run blocker.
In the second quarter at Tennessee, he had to be carted off the field. The Chargers also lost right tackle Bobby Hart in that game.
In Alt’s absence, Trey Pipkins III, Jamaree Salyer and Austin Deculus will anchor the offensive line at tackle. Harbaugh was pleased with the effort he saw from the unit against the Titans.
“It played out in the game and you saw how the guys responded. That’s something about our team that I really admire,” Harbaugh said. “There was a lot to overcome in that game Sunday and our guys found a way and overcame it. I would’ve been surprised if they hadn’t, how good I know this team.”
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