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Nine-time Pro Bowl pass-rusher Khalil Mack will return for his 12th NFL season in 2025, ESPN reported Wednesday.

The veteran linebacker, who turns 34 next month, is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career.

Playing his third season with the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024, he tallied six sacks and 15 quarterback hits in 16 starts.

Mack, the 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, told reporters he was considering retirement after the Chargers’ 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in an AFC wild-card game.

“Man, it’s a lot of different thoughts in my head right now,” he said on Jan. 12. “I can’t really speak on a definitive decision in terms of what I’m going to do because I don’t know if I’m going to play football moving forward, so there’s some things I gotta talk through with my wife, spend some time with my kids and try not to make a rash decision after a loss.”

During the same interview, Mack said he believed his best chance to win is with the Chargers.

“As long as Justin Herbert is your quarterback. You got (safety) Derwin James and all these guys that love the game of football. And Jim Harbaugh coaching?” Mack said. “You know you always have a chance to win. Yeah, that’s a no-brainer.”

Mack recorded two sacks against the Texans in his fifth career playoff game, but his teams have yet to win a playoff game in five tries.

Mack was named to his ninth Pro Bowl this season and is also a three-time All-Pro first-teamer (2015, 2016, 2018).

In 167 career games (166 starts) for the then-Oakland Raiders (2014-17), Chicago Bears (2018-21) and Chargers (2022-24), Mack has compiled 107.5 sacks, which ranks tied for 32nd all-time. He has 630 tackles (142 for loss), 32 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries and three interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns.

–Field Level Media