Brutal Blow For Los Angeles Chargers: Rookie Sensation Omarion Hampton Sidelined

UPDATE: Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh announced Monday afternoon that Running Back Omarion Hampton has placed on IR. That means the promising rookie will miss at least the next four games.

Just when you thought the Los Angeles Chargers’ luck couldn’t get any worse, the football gods decided to have another laugh at their expense. On Sunday, during a grim 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders, rookie Running Back Omarion Hampton went down with an ankle injury.

The collective groan from Chargers fans could be heard from Inglewood to San Clemente. Hampton, who had been a revelation, was seen leaving the locker room in a walking boot. That is about as welcome as a flat tire on the 405 during rush hour. While the team hasn’t released the X-ray results just yet, that stylish new piece of footwear is rarely a good sign.

The injury occurred in the second half, and after a brief, ominous visit to the blue medical tent, Hampton was ruled questionable to return. He never did. Before exiting, he’d managed 44 yards on the ground and another 26 through the air, fighting for every inch like the promising star he is.

A Season Cursed By Injury

Omarion Hampton just left the locker room with a walking boot on his left ankle.

— Daniel Popper (@danielrpopper) October 5, 2025

Let’s be honest, the Chargers’ injury report this season reads like a Stephen King novel. It’s a horror show. They already lost veteran back Najee Harris for the season to a torn Achilles. Their offensive line is basically held together with duct tape and prayers, with star Offensive Tackle Rashawn Slater out for the year and his replacement, Joe Alt, also nursing an ankle injury. It is getting to the point where they might have to start holding open tryouts in the parking lot.

Hampton was supposed to be the cavalry. The 22nd overall pick from North Carolina had stepped into the void left by Harris and looked like he’d been in the league for years. In the two games leading up to Sunday, he was electric, racking up a combined 294 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. He gave a battered team and its long-suffering fanbase something to believe in.

What’s Next For the Chargers?

With Hampton sidelined, the Chargers had to turn to Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal. Haskins, a fourth-year player, has some familiarity with Head Coach Jim Harbaugh from their Michigan days, but he’s not the dynamic threat Hampton is. Vidal, a sixth-round pick, had zero NFL carries before being thrown into the fire on Sunday. To say the drop-off is steep is an understatement. It is a cliff.

The question now is, how long will Hampton be out? Ankle injuries are tricky, and the sight of a walking boot suggests this might not be a quick fix. As Chargers fans hold their breath, one has to wonder what they did to anger the football deities so thoroughly. For a team that has already faced so much adversity, losing their breakout rookie feels like a particularly cruel twist of the knife. The Chargers’ already difficult season just got a whole lot tougher.