CHARLOTTE, NC — At JK Dobbins' first press conference as a Los Angeles Chargers player in April, he spoke candidly about the unfortunate way his career has unfolded.
Dobbins, a running back and second-round draft pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2020, averaged 6 yards per carry as a rookie and became one of the league's most promising backs. But injuries derailed his career.
Dobbins played in just 24 of a possible 73 games during his first four seasons. He tore his left ACL, LCL, meniscus and hamstring in a 2021 preseason game against the Washington Commanders, forcing him to miss the remainder of that season. Dobbins returned in 2022 but played in four of the Ravens' first six games before undergoing arthroscopic surgery. Dobbins returned in Week 14 and finished the season.
The Ravens let Dobbins, 25, walk this offseason and instead signed former All-Pro running back Derrick Henry. Dobbins signed with the Chargers for one year and $1.61 million with just $50,000 guaranteed, a deal that reflected how much Dobbins' stock around the league had fallen because of injuries.
Dobbins acknowledged that point in April, calling himself a “high risk, high reward” signing.
“You have a tendency to get injured [label] “There's nothing to do out there, but I think the storm has passed and I think I'm going to take off now,” Dobbins said in April. “There won't be any setbacks and this injury tendency will be out the window.”
So far, Dobbins has lived up to his word, exceeding expectations and breaking franchise rushing records in the Chargers' first two games. In Sunday's 26-3 win over the Panthers, Dobbins finished with 131 yards, a touchdown and a flip in the end zone.
JK DOBBINS RUNNING THROUGH EVERYONE.
đź“ş: #LACvsCAR on CBS/Paramount+
📱: image.twitter.com/IrANF2mYTR— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2024
He is the first player in Chargers franchise history to rush for 100 yards in each of the first two games of a season, and his 266 rushing yards in two games are the most by any Chargers player in the team's first two games of a season.
“I've been telling everyone this offseason. Nobody believed me. Nobody believed me,” Dobbins said. “When I'm healthy, I can be one of the best.”
Dobbins averaged 7.7 yards per carry on Sunday. His best play of the day came in the third quarter: Dobbins, with Gus Edwards at fullback, rushed 43 yards to the end zone.
The moment was special for Edwards, who spent four seasons with Dobbins in Baltimore before both signed with the Chargers this offseason. Edwards, who finished with 18 carries for 59 yards, said the touchdown and Dobbins' performances this season have been gratifying.
“I know what he's been through, so I want to see him eat,” Edwards told ESPN. “He's one of the best in the league and he's showing it right now.”
When Jim Harbaugh took over as Chargers head coach in January, he and his staff outlined their desire to dominate teams by running the ball, something LA had lacked since the days of LaDainian Tomlinson. That run-first philosophy is why the team selected offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth pick and signed Dobbins and Edwards in free agency.
Dobbins has been the perfect running back for this offense through two weeks, confirming the vision Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman had when they took the job.
Dobbins’ role has taken the offensive load off of quarterback Justin Herbert, who, before the season, averaged 39.1 pass attempts per game, the highest average in NFL history. Herbert has attempted just 46 passes through two weeks, throwing for fewer than 200 yards in both games. It’s the first time Herbert has thrown fewer than 30 passes in back-to-back games.
“We're not surprised by the success,” Herbert said. “We knew how special it was.” [Dobbins] was.”
General manager Joe Hortiz and assistant general manager Chad Alexander chatted with Dobbins in the locker room after the game, where Hortiz told Dobbins, “No more flips.” Harbaugh, however, was less concerned about the risk of injury and more impressed — or even inspired — with Dobbins’ celebration.
“It's something I've never been able to do,” Harbaugh said. “I know there are people who can do it pretty easily. It's something I've always tried to do. I mean, I've tried to jump off a diving board into the water. I've tried to do it off a diving board.”
He continued: “I mean, I've only tried it once from the ground like he did, and pretty much every time, for some reason, I've stopped mid-corner. So yeah, cool. I always admire people who can do that. It's something I'm missing, not getting that last part.”
