Source: Chargers, Teair Tart agree to 3-year extension

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Chargers and defensive tackle Teair Tart agreed to a three-year contract extension worth up to $37.5 million with $20 million guaranteed, a source told ESPN on Monday.

Tart signaled his excitement about the deal on social media, posting “Bolt Up!” on Monday morning. The team later announced the extension without disclosing financial terms.

After losing defensive tackle Poona Ford to the Rams in free agency last offseason, the Chargers’ interior defensive line was one of this team’s biggest weakness on paper. They drafted rookie Jamaree Caldwell in the third round to help mitigate that and signed defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand, but Tart quickly emerged as one of the Chargers’ most important players and had the best season of his career.

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Tart was particularly effective as a run stopper, pushing through opposing interior linemen to regularly blow-up runs in the backfield. He had 12 run stops, which ranked seventh in the NFL, according to TruMedia. The next closest Chargers’ defender was Caldwell, who had nine.

Tart’s best game this season came in the 16-3 wild-card playoff loss to the New England Patriots, He batted a pass that led to a Daiyan Henley interception, secured his first sack since the 2024 season and had two tackles for loss among his four total tackles.

This begins a pivotal offseason for the Chargers, who are currently interviewing for a new defensive coordinator following the Ravens’ hiring of Jesse Minter as head coach.

Tart is the first domino as the team looks to return many of its key contributors from one of the league’s best defenses. General manager Joe Hortiz will likely move to re-sign outside linebackers Odafe Oweh and Khalil Mack, who are both unrestricted free agents. Outside linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who was sixth in the NFL with 13.5 sacks in 2025, is also eligible for an extension this offseason as he heads into the final year of his deal in 2026.

The team also hired ex-Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel as its new offensive coordinator on Monday.