Chargers’ Daiyan Henley fought through huge fever, tears for breakout vs. Raiders

Not too long ago, Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley went overlooked by a previous coaching staff.

Fast forward a few years, he’s authoring “Flu Game” narratives on primetime while his Chargers whip the Las Vegas Raiders in front of the globe to start the season 2-0.

A late addition to the injury report due to illness on Monday, Henley played anyway and fought off a fever of 100-plus degrees to register a game-high 10 total tackles with one sack, two tackles for loss and two passes defended. He even had a key interception.

"Pretty tough, not going to lie. I cried in the second quarter," Henley said, according to Omar Navarro of Chargers.com. "I'm being vulnerable right now, I cried in the second quarter. I felt terrible. I had my teammates next to me making sure I was staying in it, giving my all."

Daiyan Henley said he woke up today with a 101 degree fever, had chills throughout the game and was crying in the second quarter because of how badly he felt.

"Coach Minter caught me crying, so I'm a little embarrassed about that.”
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— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 16, 2025

Henley added, per Navarro: "I felt my best when I made a play and felt my [worst] when I touched the sideline. No doubt. Every time I hit the sideline, I was short of breath, I just needed oxygen. I had the oxygen tank next to me the whole game.”

The Chargers desperately needed a continued ascension from Henley this year. Junior Colson, another guy they’ve been hoping is the future, is already out for the year. And now veteran Denzel Perryman just went to injured reserve, leaving them short for the next three weeks and change.

Henley feels like a good summation of the Jim Harbaugh era so far, though. The previous coaching staff didn’t give him much of a chance. But now that he’s out there, sick or not, the former third-round pick continues to be a key cog in the scheme for breakout coordinator Jesse Minter.

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