The Pittsburgh Steelers traveled to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, to face the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday Night Football, November 9, 2025. It was a big game for both teams. The Chargers were fighting to stay close to the first-place Denver Broncos in the AFC West. The Steelers wanted to keep their playoff hopes alive in the AFC North.
The night did not go well for Pittsburgh. The Chargers played strong defense from the start, and their offense did just enough to win. The final score was 25-10 in favor of Los Angeles. This win moved the Chargers to 7-3 on the season, while the Steelers dropped to 5-4.
Game Summary
The game started badly for Pittsburgh. Early in the first quarter, Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack sacked Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the end zone. Rodgers fumbled the ball, and Mack fell on it for a safety. This gave Los Angeles a 2-0 lead almost right away. It was also a special moment for Mack, since it was his 35th career sack against the Steelers, making him only the second player in NFL history to reach that number against one team.
Pittsburgh answered back with a field goal to make it 3-2, but the Chargers took the lead for good soon after. Cameron Dicker, the Chargers kicker, had a strong night. He made three field goals, including a long 59-yard kick, which pushed the score to 15-3 by the third quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Chargers pulled further ahead. Justin Herbert threw a long 58-yard pass to Ladd McConkey, which set up a short touchdown run by running back Kimani Vidal. That score made it 22-3. The Steelers offense struggled the whole night. They could not get anything going on the ground and had trouble finding open receivers.
Rodgers did throw a touchdown pass late in the game to bring the score closer, but two interceptions and a tough offensive line battle made it hard for Pittsburgh to keep up. The Chargers defense held the Steelers to just 221 total yards, which is a very low number for an NFL offense.
Los Angeles Chargers Player Stats
The Chargers’ win was built on a great team effort. Their offense moved the ball well, and their defense played almost perfectly for most of the game.
Justin Herbert (Quarterback)
Herbert had a solid, controlled game. He completed 20 of 33 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown. This was his fourth straight game with at least 200 passing yards. He also ran the ball five times for 19 yards, showing he can hurt defenses with his legs when needed. Herbert did take five sacks, since the Chargers were dealing with injuries along their offensive line, but he still managed the game smartly and did not force many risky throws.
Kimani Vidal (Running Back)
Vidal was the offensive star of the night. He carried the ball 25 times for 95 yards and scored a rushing touchdown. That touchdown was his second of the season. His 25 carries were also a new career high for him. Vidal’s steady running helped the Chargers control the clock and wear down the Pittsburgh defense.
Ladd McConkey (Wide Receiver)
McConkey had his best game of the season so far. He caught 4 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. This was a new season-high for him, beating his previous best of 100 yards. His 58-yard catch in the fourth quarter set up Vidal’s touchdown run and was one of the biggest plays of the night.
Cameron Dicker (Kicker)
Dicker was reliable all game. He made 3 of 4 field goals, including a 59-yard kick, and added 2 extra points. His kicking gave the Chargers points even when the offense stalled in the red zone.
Khalil Mack and the Defense
Khalil Mack recorded the early safety that set the tone for the whole game. Cam Heyward and the Chargers’ pass rush kept pressure on Rodgers throughout the night. In the secondary, defensive back RJ Mickens and cornerback Donte Jackson each grabbed an interception, which helped stop Pittsburgh’s comeback attempts. Cornerback Cam Hart also had a big pass breakup in the end zone on a third-down play meant for DK Metcalf, forcing a turnover on downs.
Pittsburgh Steelers Player Stats
For the Steelers, the night was mostly a struggle. The offense could not find any rhythm, and the running game barely got going.
Aaron Rodgers (Quarterback)
Rodgers finished 16 of 31 for 161 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. It was a tough outing for the veteran quarterback. The Chargers’ pass rush and secondary made it hard for him to find open targets, and the two interceptions hurt Pittsburgh’s chances of a comeback. Despite the rough night, Rodgers still has 17 touchdown passes on the season, which is the most by a Steelers quarterback in one season since Ben Roethlisberger back in 2021.
Jaylen Warren (Running Back)
Warren is normally Pittsburgh’s most reliable offensive weapon, but the Chargers defense limited him too. The Steelers’ running game struggled as a team overall, with the whole offense managing just 73 rushing yards on the night. Warren did what he could, but there simply were not many openings against a strong Los Angeles front seven.
DK Metcalf (Wide Receiver)
Metcalf was a target in the passing game but did not have a big statistical night. He was involved in one of the game’s key moments, when a pass intended for him in the end zone was broken up by Cam Hart on third down, ending a Pittsburgh scoring chance. Metcalf has had a strong season overall, but this game was a quiet one for him because the Chargers’ coverage limited his catches.
Roman Wilson (Wide Receiver)
Wilson was on the receiving end of Rodgers’ touchdown pass late in the game, helping cut into the Chargers’ big lead. It was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult night for the Pittsburgh passing attack.
Alex Highsmith (Outside Linebacker)
On defense, Highsmith made a big impact with a sack on Herbert that stalled a Chargers drive in the second half. Cam Heyward also batted down a pass at the line of scrimmage, showing that the Pittsburgh defense still competed hard even while the offense struggled.
Team Stats Comparison
| Stat | Pittsburgh Steelers | Los Angeles Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 221 | 314 |
| Passing Yards | 148 | 199 |
| Rushing Yards | 73 | 115 |
| Time of Possession | 22:25 | 37:35 |
| Turnovers | 3 | 0 |
| Total Plays | 50 | 69 |
These numbers show just how one-sided the game was in terms of ball control. The Chargers held the ball for over 37 minutes, which kept the Steelers offense off the field and let Los Angeles’s defense stay fresh throughout the game.
What This Game Means Going Forward
For the Chargers, this win was their third straight, and it kept them just one game behind the first-place Denver Broncos in a tight AFC West race. Head coach Jim Harbaugh praised his team’s physical style of play after the game, saying that wins built on heart and effort mean the most to him.
For the Steelers, the loss was a step back in a season that had shown real promise. Aaron Rodgers and the passing game will need to find more consistency, and the running game needs to get back on track if Pittsburgh wants to stay in playoff contention in the AFC North.
Overall, this game showed the difference a strong, healthy defense can make. The Chargers dominated time of possession, forced turnovers, and never let the Steelers offense find its footing. It was a complete team win for Los Angeles and a game the Steelers will want to learn from quickly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What was the final score of the Steelers vs Chargers game on November 9, 2025? The Los Angeles Chargers won the game 25-10 over the Pittsburgh Steelers at SoFi Stadium.
2. Who had the best individual performance in the game? Ladd McConkey had a standout game for the Chargers with 107 receiving yards and a touchdown on just 4 catches. Kimani Vidal was also excellent, rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries.
3. How many turnovers did Aaron Rodgers have in this game? Aaron Rodgers threw two interceptions in the loss, along with an early fumble in the end zone that led to a safety for the Chargers.
