Khalil Mack has achieved numerous statistical goals on the football field. But the numbers don’t matter to Mack as he enters his ninth year in the NFL.
“You want to get to a Super Bowl…and you want to win it,” Mack said when he was asked about his personal goals for the upcoming season. “That’s the only thing on my mind.”
Mack’s quest to help the Chargers hoist the Lombardi Trophy began on Wednesday, as he and the rest of the players and coaches took the field for the first day of training camp.
Mack’s presence was felt early on as he got into the backfield for what would have been a run stop near the line of scrimmage.
In the offseason, Mack was acquired from the Bears to play opposite Joey Bosa and become opposing quarterback’s worst nightmare.
Mack will not only benefit from rushing across from another premier pass rusher but by playing for Brandon Staley, whose system is similar to former head coach Vic Fangio.
The year Staley was the outside linebackers coach in Chicago in 2018, Mack enjoyed a very productive campaign that year, finishing with 68 pressures, 48 hurries, and 12.5 sacks.
“That player that was out there today is the player I’m used to seeing,” Staley said about Mack.
The 31-year-old Mack is returning from a season-ending foot injury. Still, he produced 22 pressures and six sacks in seven games.
While he may not return to his Defensive Player of the Year-caliber of play, Mack will still present a player capable of boosting a group that ranked 25th in pressure rate and 28th in run defense a season ago.