EL SEGUNDO - Tuli Tuipulotu isn’t spending much time thinking about the contract extension that still hasn’t come.
With the Chargers heading into Sunday afternoon’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium, the standout outside linebacker said Monday that his focus is on football, not the future payday that could be waiting if he keeps producing at the level he reached last season.
“I’m just ready to play the season,” said Tuipulotu, who had a career-high and team-best 13 sacks during the 2025 season, which seemed to indicate a big, fat extension could be coming his way. “That’s kind of where my mind is at.
Let’s play ball, play good for my team and win games. That’s pretty much it.”
Tuipulotu is in the final year of his four-season rookie deal, a contract that carries a salary cap hit of roughly $6.2 million. That number is nothing to sneeze at, but it’s also far below what a new extension could bring for a player who has become one of the Chargers’ most important defensive pieces.
The rise has been steady. Drafted in the second round out of USC in 2023, Tuipulotu quickly established himself as a dangerous pass rusher and a valuable special teams contributor. Over time, he moved from being a young player learning behind Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa to becoming the Chargers’ top edge threat.
Last season was the turning point. Tuipulotu overtook Mack as the team’s leading pass rusher while Mack was limited to 5½ sacks and missed four games after an elbow injury in a Week 2 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Tuipulotu stepped into the spotlight, posted those 13 sacks, and earned his first Pro Bowl nod.
His climb has made him a central figure on a defense that expects more this year. The Chargers won 11 games in each of the past two seasons, then lost in the wild card round both times. That hasn’t sat well with Tuipulotu, who is looking for a bigger payoff in the standings, not just on a contract.
There’s also a new voice running the defense. Jesse Minter left in the offseason to become head coach of the Baltimore Ravens after two seasons coordinating the Chargers’ defense under Jim Harbaugh. Chris O’Leary is now in charge of that side of the ball, and Tuipulotu said the roster additions have caught his attention.
“I’m not looking to see what’s happening, but it always pops up on my phone,” Tuipulotu said of the various offseason moves to bolster the roster. “So, I always see them.
I think we’ve got some great, great players in free agency, some great, great players in the draft, man. So, I’m excited.”
He also had plenty of praise for Mack, who is back for his fifth season with the Chargers and 13th in the NFL.
“I hope he stays five more years, you know what I’m saying? I’m grateful, I’m honored to even play next to him.
Man, it’s a blessing. You know, he doesn’t like it when you bring it up to him, but, yeah, that’s a Hall of Famer right there.”
EXTRA POINTS
Rookie wide receiver Brenen Thompson and running back Keaton Mitchell returned to the practice field after working out on the sidelines for several days last week. The Chargers also signed cornerback Isas Waxter to the practice squad and released wide receiver Gary Jennings. During the portion of practice open to reporters, quarterback Justin Herbert dropped back to pass and a member of the Chargers’ video staff nearly ran into him before a call of “heads up,” prevented a collision.
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