Los Angeles Chargers left tackle Joe Alt arrived to the first day of voluntary minicamp with a visible limp. He wore a brace that prevented him from bending his surgically-repaired ankle.
Fans are already thinking the worst.
However, this kind of injury takes a long time to heal and NFL offensive linemen always have something of an awkward gait at their size anyway. There is no reason to panic!! …yet.
Joe Alt injured his ankle on Nov. 2, 2025.
The former No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft had to be carted off of the field during a game against the Tennessee Titans on the first Sunday in November. Alt had already dealt with a nagging ankle sprain throughout the early season but this was different.
The Chargers did not release an official report on his injury, which required him to undergo season-ending surgery the next day. Alt said “everything you could do to an ankle, I did, pretty much.” Not great.
A broken ankle takes six to 12 weeks for the bone to heal. Full functional recovery can take six to 12 months after surgery. Ligaments often present a much bigger challenge. A complete Grade III tear of a torn ankle ligament can take even longer to fully heal.
If we are to do that math — six months from Nov. 2, 2025 is May 2, 2026. That’s coming up!
Los Angeles will play its first game of the regular season in early September, which will be the 10-month mark for recovery. Joe Alt said “the goal is to have it not affect him at all” heading into the new season.
The Los Angeles Chargers’ star left tackle is limping.
Alt was in attendance on the first day of voluntary minicamp on Monday. He did not have to be there. He chose to be there.
For Joe Alt to participate is a great sign but he arrived to practice with what many fans saw as a limp. The 6-foot-9, 322-pound tackle had a brace on his surgically-repaired ankle and walked with a waddle.
Chargers fans immediately thought the worst when they saw the limp. They did not consider the full timeline for recovery and where Alt should be at this point in the year. They also did not consider that offensive lineman always walk with something of a wobble. That’s just how the big fellas walk!
Fortunately, even if there was a slight limp upon entry, Alt was a full go during the conditioning drills. It looked like he was moving just fine for someone who destroyed his ankle less than six months ago.
This will continue to be a storyline to watch. Is Alt healthy? But for right now, it’s not. It would be a much bigger concern if he was not on the field during minicamp.