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Jim Harbaugh's third year in charge of the Los Angeles Chargers has begun disastrously, with the team falling to 0-4 after a 30-23 loss to the Seattle Seahawks on the road Sunday. The Chargers now find themselves in a deep hole in the AFC West, where the Kansas City Chiefs (4-0), Las Vegas Raiders (3-1), and Denver Broncos (2-2) have combined for a 9-3 record and each have fewer losses than Harbaugh's squad.
This is not uncharted territory for the franchise. In 2017, Anthony Lynn's team also started 0-4 but eventually finished 9-7. However, the most famous turnaround came in 1992, when the then-San Diego Chargers, under new head coach Bobby Ross, lost their first four games before winning 11 of their final 12 to finish 11-5 and capture the AFC West title. That team, which had inherited a 4-12 roster from Dan Henning, was outscored 95-29 during its 0-4 start but then caught fire, avenging two regular-season losses to Marty Schottenheimer's Chiefs with a 17-0 wild-card win before falling to the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round.
No team since the 1992 Chargers has reached the playoffs after an 0-4 start. For Harbaugh's 2026 squad to replicate that feat, it would need to overcome significant obstacles. The offense has managed just seven touchdowns in four games while turning the ball over 10 times. Quarterback Justin Herbert has accounted for seven of those turnovers, completing only 59.7 percent of his passes and already being sacked 12 times. The team has trailed at halftime in three of four games, the only exception being a loss to the Bills in which they led 10-0 after the first quarter.
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The Chargers' defensive prowess has also waned. After forcing 21 turnovers in Harbaugh's first season and 23 in 2025, they have just seven takeaways in 2026, five of which came in the Buffalo loss. The departure of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter may be a factor, and the rapport between Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel appears to be a work in progress. The team seems to be waiting for the next mistake to happen, a sign of a squad lacking confidence.
Up next is a crucial divisional matchup against the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. Another home loss to a rival could effectively end the Chargers' playoff hopes and render any historical parallels moot. For now, the question remains: can this team summon the magic of 1992, or will it be remembered for a different kind of history?