Mack told reporters after the 2024 season that he was going to mull retirement this offseason.
And while Mack ultimately decided to keep playing, his decision to return to the Chargers speaks volumes.
Mack was adamant in his year-end media session that he was only going to play for a contender if he did choose to continue playing.
"As long as Justin Herbert is your quarterback and you got Derwin James and all these guys that love the game of football and you got Jim Harbaugh coaching, you know you always have a chance to win," Mack said in January. "That's a no brainer in the sense of … if you know football, then you know."
Mack knows. And the Chargers were his choice.
Mack has made a profound impact on the Chargers organization since arriving in a trade in the spring of 2022.
On the field, he's tallied 31.0 sacks in three seasons, the ninth-most in the league during that span. He's also recorded 49 quarterback hits, 39 tackles for loss, 21 passes defensed, nine forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
And while Mack did battle groin issues in 2024, he remained one of the league's most consistent players as his Pro Football Focus defense grade of 90.4 was fourth-best among players at his position.
He finished second on the Bolts with 6.0 sacks and led the team in quarterback pressures with 54, according to Next Gen Stats.
Mack was also elite against the run as he finished the season with the second-highest PFF run defense grade among edge rushers at 88.0.
So yes, Mack can still play at a high level. But the intangibles he brings are just as important, too.