The Chicago Bears tried to bring Khalil Mack home before the trade deadline. The Los Angeles Chargers never let it get close.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revisited the near-deal on Wednesday morning, calling Mack to the Bears a trade that didn’t happen but could have.
From The Insiders @nflnetwork: A look at a trade that didn’t happen but could’ve — Khalil Mack to the #Bears. pic.twitter.com/uppJQofSMY
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 11, 2026
How the Mack talks played out
The Bears made their big move early. Chicago sent two first-round picks to the Tennessee Titans for defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons, Bears Wire reported. They didn’t stop there.
On Nov. 1, Rapoport said on NFL GameDay Morning that the Bears were still calling around about help on the edge of their defense. He added that he wouldn’t be surprised if a Mack trade came together.
The Chargers shut that down quickly. Coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about Mack on Nov. 2 and made his position clear, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
“I want Khalil Mack here,” Harbaugh said. “Khalil Mack wants to be here.”
On Nov. 7, ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Rapoport reported that the 0-7 Chargers were still telling teams they had no interest in trading Mack. They described the team as treating him as a pillar of the organization.
There was one late twist. On deadline day, Jordan Schultz reported the Chargers had become more open to trades over the previous 24 hours, but Mack was still a long shot.
Sources: The #Chargers have been more receptive to trading players over the last 24 hours.
Khalil Mack is still considered a long shot, but other expiring contract players are available if the offer makes sense. pic.twitter.com/SWBipAA0CC
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 10, 2026
The 4 p.m. ET deadline passed with Mack still in Los Angeles. Bleacher Nation noted the Bears did not add any edge rusher at all.
Why the deal made sense
Mack is 35 and on an expiring contract, which usually makes a player affordable at the deadline. He has three sacks in seven games this season after 5.5 last year, per the Sun-Times.
His history in Chicago made the idea popular with fans. Former general manager Ryan Pace traded two first-round picks for Mack before the 2018 season, and he posted 36 sacks in 53 regular-season games with the Bears. Current GM Ryan Poles later sent him to the Chargers for a second-round pick and cap relief.
The fit was also obvious on the field. The Bears are 7-2 and second in the NFC behind San Francisco, and Mack would have joined Simmons on a defensive front built to win now.
What it means now
For the Chargers, keeping Mack fits Harbaugh’s message that the team is not giving up on the season. Los Angeles is 0-8 and visits Baltimore on Monday night. We covered the Chargers’ slide in our Justin Herbert injury story.
For the Bears, the pass rush has to come from the current roster. Chicago has kept winning even through mistakes, like Caleb Williams’ four-interception game against Tampa Bay.
Mack’s contract runs out after this season, so a reunion could still happen in free agency in March.
Mack joins a long list of big names who stayed put this year. See our biggest names not traded story, our deadline winners and losers and the full trade tracker. For a look at the whole league, read our NFL midseason report.
Sources: Chicago Sun-Times, Yahoo Sports (2), SI, Bleacher Nation
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