Keenan Allen is returning to a familiar place — a very familiar one. The six-time Pro Bowl wide receiver is reportedly signing a contract with the Los Angeles Chargers, per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
“Reunion: Six-time Pro Bowl WR Keenan Allen is signing with the #Chargers on a one-year, $8.52 million deal, sources tell me and@RapSheet. Agents Zeke Sandhu and Damarius Bilbo of @KlutchSports negotiated the deal for Allen, who is back with the team that drafted him in 2013,” Pelissero wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter ) on Tuesday night.
The Chargers traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears in 2024, but will now have one of the franchise's best players back, as he looks to play his 13th season in the NFL.
Allen started his journey in the NFL over a decade ago, when the Chargers (then called the San Diego Chargers) selected him in the third round of the 2013 NFL draft.
The former California Golden Bears star wide receiver immediately made a significant impact on the Chargers, as he led the team with 1,046 receiving yards in his rookie campaign while also racking up eight touchdowns on 71 receptions and 105 targets through 15 games. Thanks to that prolific performance downfield, Allen was named the 2013 Pro Football Writers of America Rookie of the Year.
Although he turned 33 years old in April, Keenan Allen can still be expected to provide quality numbers for the Chargers. During his lone year with the Bears, Allen had 744 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 70 catches and 121 targets. With years of experience playing alongside Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert and given his past acquaintance with the Chargers, Allen should be able to adjust smoothly in his return to LA.
That's not to mention that the Chargers have a healthier offensive environment than Chicago, which had a rookie in Caleb Williams running the attack in 2024. Allen also brings experience to a young Chargers wide receiver room, which features the likes of Ladd McConkey, Quentin Johnston and Tre Harris.
Now that he's back with the Chargers, Allen has a chance to break Antonio Gates' franchise record for most receiving yards. Gates had 11,841 receiving yards during his time with the Bolts, while Allen is No. 2 all-time on the franchise's list with 10,530 receiving yards.
