Buffalo Professional Athletes

The Mack Saga Ends Where It Started: Los Angeles

For weeks, the NFL trade deadline conversation had one recurring character: University of Buffalo alumnus Khalil Mack. The Chargers' star pass-rusher sat at the center of a league-wide frenzy as contenders circled a winless LA team that looked — on paper, at least — like a franchise ready to sell.

It never happened.

The Chargers, sitting at 0-7 after a 24-9 home loss to the Rams on November 1, held firm. Despite losing streaks, mounting pressure from analysts, and a Bears organization openly hunting for a reunion with their former franchise cornerstone, Los Angeles shut down every avenue. Head coach Jim Harbaugh delivered the clearest signal: "I want Khalil Mack here, and Khalil Mack wants to be here." That was essentially the ballgame for trade hopefuls.

Mack himself backed up his coach. The veteran linebacker spoke out publicly amid swirling rumors, saying he was focused on being where his "feet are at" — a pointed message that he wasn't mentally packing his bags regardless of his team's record. He later went further, entirely slamming the door on speculation and making clear the drama was over before the deadline clock expired.

The Bears Reunion That Wasn't

Chicago was the most aggressive suitor. NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Jay Glazer reported the Bears were making serious noise, with Mack — who spent his prime years tormenting quarterbacks in a Bears uniform — topping their deadline target list. The logic was obvious: Mack is on what amounts to a one-year rental, the Chargers are in a lost season, and LA could have extracted significant draft capital from a Bears team desperate to reload its defense.

The Chargers weren't interested at any price. Reports confirmed LA also had no intention of moving quarterback Justin Herbert or receiver Ladd McConkey, signaling a front-office philosophy of staying the course even amid historically bad results. The 49ers and Browns were also linked to Mack speculation at various points — both came away empty.

Analysts were openly critical of the Chargers' stance. The Sporting News called the decision to retain Mack one that "makes zero sense" for a team with nothing left to play for. But the Chargers' position never wavered.

What It Means for Bulls Nation

For Buffalo fans, the storyline carries a complicated satisfaction. Mack is the program's most decorated NFL export — a player who turned a mid-major football program into a credible pipeline name. Watching him dominate deadline headlines even on a winless team is a reminder of his market value and sustained elite status.

The Chargers' 0-7 record is not a Mack problem. By most accounts, he has remained one of the few bright spots on a roster that has simply collapsed around him. Whether LA rights the ship or not, the Bulls' most famous alumni remains under contract, motivated, and — as of this week — exactly where he said he wants to be.

The deadline passed. Mack stays in LA. And Buffalo's name stayed in the national conversation because of it.

No University of Buffalo alumnus is generating more buzz this week than Khalil Mack — and the buzz has nothing to do with sacks. It has to do with the fire sale that may or may not be coming in Los Angeles.

The Chargers are the NFL's only winless team at 0-6, and Mack — the team's 2026 sack leader — has become the most coveted name ahead of the November 10 trade deadline. Multiple contenders have come calling. The question is whether Los Angeles is actually willing to pick up the phone.

The Chargers' Contradictory Stance

For weeks, the narrative framed LA as a seller. Then Chargers GM Joe Hortiz threw cold water on the fire. According to Bleacher Report, NFL insider Tom Pelissero believes the Chargers could shift their position if the winless streak continues — but as of now, the front office has resisted moving veteran players despite a flood of inquiries. Sports Illustrated's breakdown of the case for and against a trade captures the tension well: Mack is the team's best player and its most moveable asset, all at once.

The Bears Want Their Guy Back

The loudest suitor is Chicago. Fox NFL insider Jay Glazer confirmed the Bears have already put in a call to the Chargers about Mack, who played for Chicago earlier in his career. ESPN insiders have also flagged the Bears as a team expected to pursue him. Sports Illustrated reported that an NFL insider has even floated a projected trade price for the deal.

There's a wrinkle, though. Chicago made a splash by acquiring Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons before pivoting to Mack, and Sports Illustrated reports that the Chargers represent a significant roadblock to any deal materializing. The Bears want the reunion. LA isn't making it easy.

The Rest of the Field

Chicago isn't alone. The New York Giants — sitting atop the NFC East at 4-2-1 — have been identified as a trade suitor, per Heavy Sports. The Jacksonville Jaguars have also been named as a potential landing spot, with one Jaguars insider calling Mack the best possible trade deadline fit for the team. The Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones have been floated as another possibility, per Sports Illustrated. Heavy Sports identified three additional teams it believes the Chargers could "fleece" in a swap, underscoring just how desperate the market of contenders has become.

The Bottom Line

Mack is a future Hall of Famer playing for a team that appears to be in freefall. That combination, with a deadline looming two weeks out, has made him the centerpiece of the NFL's trade season. Whether Hortiz and the Chargers ultimately deal him remains unresolved — but the infrastructure of a blockbuster is fully in place.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the UB alumni landscape, Chargers guard Kayode Awosika is caught in the same organizational chaos as Mack, while Rams linebacker Shaun Dolac suited up in Los Angeles's 35-21 win over the Raiders on Sunday. It was a quiet week for most Bulls in the pros. All the noise belongs to Mack.

The Mack Sweepstakes Are On

Three weeks before the NFL trade deadline, one of Buffalo's most decorated alumni has become the hottest name in deadline speculation — and his current team's freefall is only accelerating the conversation.

Khalil Mack, the $205 million pass rusher now with the Los Angeles Chargers, finds himself at the center of multi-team trade speculation with the Lions, Bears, and 49ers all circling. The Chargers dropped to 0-6 on Sunday, falling to the Kansas City Chiefs 22-6, and a team that deep in a hole has every reason to listen to offers before the November 10 deadline.

Detroit's angle is the most ambitious. ESPN's Bill Barnwell floated a package deal in which the Lions acquire both Mack and cornerback Donte Jackson from Los Angeles in a single blockbuster move — two defensive starters in one transaction for a Detroit team that has championship aspirations and the roster depth to pull it off.

Chicago's interest carries a sentimental edge. The Bears previously employed Mack during his prime years, and with the Chargers' season already in tatters, a reunion is gaining traction. The thinking is straightforward: a rebuilding Chargers squad has little incentive to keep a veteran pass rusher on an expensive contract when contenders are lining up.

San Francisco's case is more complicated. A 49ers insider pushed back on the fit, offering a blunt assessment of what Mack would actually add to a Niners defense that already has its own pass-rush infrastructure. The cold water doesn't eliminate San Francisco from the picture, but it does temper expectations for that particular landing spot.

The UB product out of Buffalo, NY has long been one of the most decorated edge rushers in the league. His next move — if the Chargers deal him — would mark a significant late-career chapter for a player who has never stopped being a force when healthy.

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Andreessen Quietly Thriving in Buffalo

While Mack dominates the trade headlines, back in his hometown of Buffalo, fellow UB alumnus Joe Andreessen is making noise on special teams for the Bills. Buffalo's special teams units have been among the league's best this season, with Andreessen drawing specific recognition as one of the standout performers on kicks and punts. The Bills edged the Raiders 33-30 on Sunday, with Andreessen active in the contest.

It's a quieter kind of success than Mack's spotlight moment, but for a program like Buffalo that doesn't churn out first-round picks on an annual basis, watching two alumni contribute meaningfully at the NFL level — on the same week — is worth noting.

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Around the Rest of the Alumni

Malcolm Koonce was on the wrong side of that Bills-Raiders result, suiting up for Las Vegas in their 33-30 defeat. Ja'Marcus Ingram and the Texans had a better Sunday, escaping with a 34-31 win over Jacksonville — a result that keeps Houston in the AFC South picture.

The broader UB alumni footprint across the league remains one of the more underappreciated stories in college football's pipeline. From Mack's contract megadeal to Andreessen's special teams contributions to Koonce and Ingram holding roster spots on legitimate playoff contenders, Buffalo is represented — quietly, but consistently.