Chargers' Free Agent Addition Has Blunt Response After Sunday's Disaster

The Los Angeles Chargers entered the 2026 season with expectations that extended well beyond simply getting through Week One. With Justin Herbert at quarterback, a new offensive system and a roster built to compete. There was plenty of optimism surrounding what this team could become.

Sunday’s season opener against the Arizona Cardinals quickly put some of that optimism on hold.

The Chargers struggled throughout the afternoon and ultimately suffered a 26–14 loss at SoFi Stadium. The defeat was filled with missed opportunities and mistakes, leaving the Bolts with plenty to address before its next game.

Following the game, tight end Charlie Kolar did something that stood out. Rather than trying to soften the team’s performance, he was direct about how poorly the team played.

Charlie Kolar on the offensive struggles:

“Just overall offensively, just a dogsh*t performance. And that starts with myself and the leaders on this team. That’s just a bad performance. It’s embarrassing.” pic.twitter.com/CbqBh3djzZ
— Chris Hayre (@chrishayre) September 14, 2026

Charlie Kolar responds to the media in the most honest way possible

Players are often careful when speaking immediately after a loss. It is common to hear about staying positive, correcting mistakes and focusing on the next opponent.

Kolar’s assessment carried a different tone. The Chargers simply did not play well enough, and he was willing to acknowledge it.

That does not mean the season is suddenly in trouble. One game cannot determine what happens over the next 17 weeks. But the opener exposed problems that cannot simply be brushed aside. Los Angeles had opportunities to change the direction of the game and failed to take advantage of them. The mistakes also came at particularly damaging moments. Arizona was able to turn errors into points, while the Chargers struggled to build enough consistency on offense. A blocked punt in the fourth quarter eventually helped create another Cardinals score and made the Chargers’ comeback even more difficult.

Chargers down 23-14, offense takes over
Penalty
Penalty
Penalty
PBU
Burn TO to avoid delay penalty
Pass for 12 on third and 30
Short on pass on 4th and 18; penalty
Turnover on downs
— Jourdan Rodrigue (@JourdanRodrigue) September 13, 2026

What does this mean moving forward

Chargers Head Coach — Jim Harbaugh | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

For a team with postseason aspirations, those are exactly the kinds of mistakes that have to disappear. Kolar’s willingness to acknowledge the problems could actually be an encouraging sign. Accountability is important inside an NFL locker room, especially after a performance that falls well below expectations. There is no benefit in pretending everything went according to plan when the film clearly shows otherwise.

The important part of Kolar’s message is not necessarily what happened Sunday. It is what the team does with that performance moving forward.

Los Angeles has enough talent to recover from a bad opening week. Herbert and the offense will have opportunities to prove that Sunday’s struggles were an early-season setback rather than a preview of what is coming.

For a team that entered the season expecting to compete, that may be exactly what needed to be said.

Add us as a preferred source on Google