When the Los Angeles Chargers face the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football, the game will have special significance for Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins. The veteran running back spent the first four years of his NFL career with the Ravens, but they ultimately moved on from him after he suffered numerous significant injuries.
Let’s examine Dobbins’ injury history and how he worked his way back to become the Chargers’ RB1 and one of the feel-good stories of the 2024 season.
J.K. Dobbins’ Injury-Plagued Stint With the Baltimore Ravens
Dobbins was the No. 55 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, and while he produced when healthy, he suffered several significant injuries during his stint with the Ravens.
After rushing for 805 yards and nine touchdowns as a rookie, there was a lot of excitement about Dobbins entering his sophomore year in 2021. However, during the Ravens’ final preseason game that year, Dobbins suffered a season-ending torn ACL, LCL, and hamstring and even injured his meniscus.
After missing the entirety of the 2021 campaign, he returned for the 2022 season. Unfortunately, during Week 6, he suffered another knee injury that sidelined him for a significant chunk of the season. However, he returned for the final four games of the regular season and the Ravens’ Wild Card matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Then, in Week 1 of the 2023 season, Dobbins once again suffered a season-ending injury — this time a torn Achilles. Many running backs never look the same after tearing their Achilles, so this was a devastating blow for Dobbins.
Over his final three seasons in Baltimore, Md., Dobbins appeared in just nine games total. Across his stint with the Ravens, Dobbins rushed for 1,347 yards and 12 touchdowns while also catching 27 passes for 177 yards and a score.
Dobbins Making the Most of His Opportunity With the Los Angeles Chargers
Dobbins’ contract with the Ravens expired after the 2023 season, so he entered last offseason looking for a new home.
The Chargers signed Dobbins and his former Ravens teammate Gus Edwards, as former Baltimore offensive coordinator Greg Roman is now the OC in Los Angeles and former Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz is now the Chargers’ general manager.
Dobbins decided to join the Chargers because he’s familiar with Roman and comfortable in his system, so it seemed like a perfect fit.
The only concern was whether Dobbins had anything left in the tank after tearing his Achilles. There is a long list of running backs who were never able to return to form due to their torn Achilles.
However, Dobbins has proven that he can still produce at a high level. Through 10 games with the Chargers, Dobbins has rushed 152 times for 726 yards (11th-most in the NFL) and eight touchdowns (fifth-most), including last week’s game-winning score. He is currently averaging 4.8 yards per carry, while also adding 25 receptions for 115 yards.
This season, only four players have had four games in which they did all of the following: scored a rushing touchdown, caught a pass, and averaged 5.0 yards per carry. Those players are Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Dobbins.
Now, all eyes will be on Dobbins entering this revenge game against his former team.