The 2025 NFL season has been a testament to the will of the Los Angeles Chargers. Even with injuries ravaging their backfield and offensive line, they have consistently found ways to end up on the winning side, earning a playoff berth as the seventh seed in the AFC.
The first half, as they took on MVP candidate Drake Maye and the New England Patriots, was about as tightly contested as it could get. However, what severely hurt the visiting team in the period was the production, or lack thereof, from their rookie running back, Omarion Hampton.
What Happened to Omarion Hampton?
Coming into the league with a ton of potential, the hope was high for the Chargers that Hampton could become a long-term threat in the running game alongside their superstar quarterback.
Unfortunately, injuries hampered his rookie season severely, as he filtered in and out of the lineup. This week, too, he was questionable for the Wild Card round matchup before eventually making the cut.
But during the game, his impact has been virtually negligible. Kimani Vidal has handled most of the carries for LA, while the lone carry from Hampton resulted in the sticks moving backwards, as he lost one yard on the play.
That discrepancy in carries has reflected in the number of snaps for the two players as well, with Vidal getting 17 snaps in the first half, compared to just two for Hampton. As a result, Vidal had 19 rushing yards on seven carries, while Hampton stayed stuck on one.
Starting the season with some incredible performances, the rookie had consecutive games with over 100 total scrimmage yards before fracturing his ankle in Week 5 against the Washington Commanders.
It wasn’t until much later in the year, when the Chargers took on the Philadelphia Eagles, that he finally made his return. Since then, though, he has filtered in and out of the lineup, tallying 545 rushing yards and four touchdowns in nine games.
What’s made him an incredibly unique weapon for the Chargers, though, is his ability to act as a threat in the passing game as well, where he added 192 receiving yards and a touchdown on the season. According to PFSN’s RB Impact Metric, Hampton is the 41st-ranked running back in the league.
A low-scoring first half saw the Patriots take a slight 6-3 lead going into halftime. But if Los Angeles wanted a turn of fortune and to register the first win of Justin Herbert’s playoff career, then they needed to flip a switch in the second half, with Hampton potentially playing a bigger role in the offense.
Editor’s Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.
