Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu: A Bond Forged in Competition
LOS ANGELES — The dynamic between Los Angeles Chargers outside linebackers Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu is built on a foundation of friendly competition and mutual respect. Their relationship, which has evolved over time, is characterized by playful jabs and banter, both on and off the field. This big brother-little brother dynamic has not only improved their performance but has also contributed to the Chargers’ defensive success.
It’s common to hear one of them yelling the other’s name in the locker room, sometimes to annoy, other times to lay down a challenge. Last season, the competition of choice was shuffleboard; this season, it’s cornhole, and occasionally pingpong. Tuipulotu’s never afraid to trash-talk Mack. “That was weak as hell, OG,” he once told Mack during a game of cornhole. Mack laughed it off: “Watch this.”
Across his 12 NFL seasons, Mack has accomplished nearly everything a defender can: a Defensive Player of the Year award, five All-Pro selections, over 100 sacks. It’s a résumé destined for Canton. But team success has eluded him. Mack is 0-5 in the postseason, including two painful losses in his first three years with the Chargers. Despite interest from other contenders in the offseason, he returned to Los Angeles ahead of this season because he believed this roster — and this defense — had the pieces to finally change that.
Tuipulotu’s Rise to Prominence
Tuipulotu, a 2023 third-round pick at 20 years old, was one of the Chargers’ quietest players. He largely kept to himself in the locker room, often standing at his locker and silently rotating a Rubik’s Cube. He addressed many of the Chargers’ veterans, such as Joey Bosa (who left for the Bills last offseason) and Mack, as “sir” for much of his first season and admitted that he was too nervous to talk to quarterback Justin Herbert because of Herbert’s fame.
“His mind was churning, but the words weren’t coming out yet,” Mack said with a smile. While Tuipulotu was quiet, he was always studying those around him, particularly Mack. Outside linebacker Bud Dupree, who signed with the Chargers ahead of last season, said he has noticed how Tuipulotu gravitated toward Mack.
Tuipulotu began his rookie season in a rotational spot behind Mack and Bosa, but injuries thrust him into a larger role than expected. He finished fifth among rookies in pressures (44) and tied for sixth in sacks (4.5). In his second year, he took another step, leading the Chargers in sacks (8.5) and quarterback hits (17). As his play improved, so did his comfort level.
Mack’s Leadership and Legacy
Mack almost left the Chargers in the offseason after becoming a free agent for the first time in his career and coming off his fifth playoff loss. He said multiple contenders had reached out to him, some offering more than the one-year $18 million contract he signed with the Chargers. But he didn’t want to go somewhere where he felt like he’d be wasting his time — or a team that would give up when things got tough.
“Other places you might take a couple L’s then everybody start giving up,” Mack said. “I don’t feel like that here.” The focus for the past four to five years of his career, Mack said, has been solely on team success and winning a Super Bowl before he retires. He said that retiring without playing in the Super Bowl would be “going out like a loser.”
Mack has often said throughout the season that Tuipulotu isn’t talked about enough, something he doesn’t mind because it allows Tuipulotu to surprise opponents who may not gameplan for him. Through Mack’s leadership, he has prepared Tuipulotu to one day fill his shoes. “I don’t want to imagine [life without Mack], to be honest,” Tuipulotu said. “I remember how I felt when Joey [Bosa] was gone. Felt weird, felt off. So I can’t imagine having both of them gone. It’s going to suck. That’s why I don’t like thinking about it.”
Until that day comes, together they hope to lead this team to the championship this franchise has longed for. It may be their last chance together. “It’s always special,” Mack said of playing in the postseason. “Especially now, just because you don’t know how many more opportunities you’re going to have.” With their combined talent, experience, and determination, the Chargers are poised to make a deep playoff run, and Mack and Tuipulotu are at the forefront of this effort.
