Los Angeles Chargers pᴀss-rusher Khalil Mack is reportedly set to play on next season after hinting at retirement after their playoff defeat to the Houston Texans.

Mack, a nine-time Pro Bowler and former NFL Defensive Player of the Year, dropped the hint as he prepared to enter unrestricted free agency for the very first time in his 11-year NFL career.

Yet while his Chargers contract is up this offseason, ESPN claims the 33-year-old has opted to play on in 2025 regardless of where he ends up.

Mack has been a standout pᴀss-rusher in over a decade as an NFL player and will turn 34 in February. 

He has been traded twice and signed a six-year contract extension while with the Chicago Bears in 2018. After restructuring his contract ahead of the 2024 season, the Florida-born defender is now an unrestricted free agent for the first time.

The Chargers were dumped out of the NFL playoffs by the Texans in the Wild Card round earlier this month, leading Mack to weigh up his future in the sport. 

Los Angeles Chargers pᴀss-rusher Khalil Mack is reportedly set to play on next season

Mack, 33, had hinted that he could retire after the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Houston Texans

Read More State Farm is forced into humiliating Super Bowl U-turn after LA wildfires

‘It’s a lot of different thoughts in my head right now,’ he said after the loss. ‘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 going forward.

‘Just some things I got to talk through with my wife, spend some time with my kids and try not to make a rash decision after a loss.’

When the Chargers also lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs two years ago, Mack made an internal decision to retire but quickly had a change of heart. 

‘I think I did that a couple of years ago, it ain’t really go to well,’ the linebacker admitted. ‘Trying not to be emotional through this process and try to think a little more clearly. That’s going to take time.’

Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz and coach Jim Harbaugh have both expressed their desire to re-sign Mack if he chooses to play on for a 12th season in 2025. 

The player himself also indicated his preference would be to remain in LA, where he believes Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert provide him with the best chance of going further in the postseason.

‘You know you always have a chance to win,’ Mack said. ‘Yeah, that’s a no-brainer.’