Chargers Face 0-17 Possibility After 0-7 Start

The Los Angeles Chargers have lost their first seven games of the 2026 season, leaving a team that began with playoff hopes facing questions about whether it can avoid a historic finish. No NFL team has gone 0-17 since the league adopted a 17-game regular-season schedule in 2021.

The Detroit Lions in 2008 and Cleveland Browns in 2017 each finished 0-16, when the regular season was shorter. The Chargers have 10 games remaining, with opponents including the Broncos, Chiefs, Dolphins, 49ers, Raiders, Buccaneers, Patriots, Jets, Ravens and Texans.

The team’s offense has struggled to produce, and Los Angeles is scoring fewer points than any other team, leaving little margin for error. Quarterback Justin Herbert is the franchise’s central figure, but the team needs more support around him as it tries to change course.

Coach Jim Harbaugh was hired to improve the franchise’s fortunes. The Chargers last began a season 0-7 in 2000, when Harbaugh was their quarterback. The current run has put pressure on the players and coaching staff to find answers rather than treating each defeat as a separate setback.

With 10 opportunities left, a winless season is not settled. The immediate challenge for the Chargers is to end the losing streak and show they can win a game.