Fall 2024
Football

New Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins thriving in L.A., 'walking with Jesus on this journey'

By Kevin Mercer Sep 17, 2024
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins runs for a touchdown, Sep. 15, 2024.(AP Photo/Rusty Jones)

Two games into the 2024-25 NFL season, it appears as though running the football will be an emphasis for the Los Angeles Chargers in the Jim Harbaugh era. And that’s just fine for J.K. Dobbins.

Dobbins is in his first season with the Chargers after four injury-riddled years with the Baltimore Ravens, and thus far in the powder blue and gold, the 25-year-old running back from La Grange, Texas, has been the best ball carrier in the entire NFL.

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Dobbins leads the league with 266 rushing yards after two games, 19 more than the second name on the list, Jordan Mason of the San Francisco 49ers, despite 21 fewer carries. In fact, Dobbins’ 27 carries are the second fewest (behind only Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson‘s 21) among the top 15 leading rushers.

Dobbins’ legs have churned out two straight games of at least 130 yards, both Chargers wins, and he’s added a rushing touchdown in each. He is the first player in franchise history to post two consecutive 100-yard games to begin a season, and his 266-yard total is more than any Chargers player ever through Week 2 of a season.

His most recent touchdown included a somersault into the end zone in the second quarter of L.A.’s 26-3 trouncing of the Carolina Panthers.

Dobbins is on pace to set his career high in rushing yards by the Chargers’ seventh game of the season, a mark he originally set in his rookie season with the Ravens in 2020 after an illustrious career at Ohio State. To this day, that season is the only one of his professional career largely undisturbed by injuries.

He tore his left ACL in the preseason in 2021 and missed the whole year, and then in 2022 had another surgery to clean up scar tissue in that knee that caused him to miss much of the season.

“My knee’s good,” Dobbins said in an on-field interview with CBS Sports reporter Melanie Collins after returning to the lineup that December. “It’s been a long process. I can only thank God for it. I give all credit to the lineman, though. … I give all glory to God, too.”

However, Dobbins’ hopes of a fully healthy 2023 were dashed in Week 1, when he sustained a torn Achilles tendon and missed the rest of the season.

Seeking a fresh start on the other side of the country, Dobbins signed with Los Angeles in April. Although Dobbins’ early success may come as a surprise to many around the league, it’s no surprise to him.

“You got the injury-prone [label] out there, but I think the storm is over with, and I think I’m going to take off now,” Dobbins said after signing with L.A., according to ESPN. “There’ll be no setbacks, and this injury-prone thing will be gone out the window.”

He reiterated his comments after Sunday’s performance.

“No one believed me but I’m speaking the word of God,” Dobbins said, via the Associated Press. “I’m telling y’all what God’s telling me and showing me. A lot of people talk about my injuries and they were unfortunate. That storm might be over. You know what I’m saying? I think it’s over. I think God showed me what He needed to show me.”

Dobbins was interviewed by CBS on the field following the Chargers’ 22-10 Week 1 win against the Las Vegas Raiders, and he revealed the reason for his optimism.

“I’ve been praying hard, working hard, and it’s no surprise to me,” Dobbins said. “Because of the work I’ve put in, because of the prayers I’ve put in, I know that God had something for me.”

Dobbins learned early in life to trust God’s plans for him.

His mother was only 18 when she gave birth to him; she considered abortion before changing her mind. Then, when Dobbins was 15, his father passed away from a stroke at the age of 33 after battling heart issues for years.

“I’m just a man of God. I’m always going to keep faith,” Dobbins told Ravens studio host Melissa Kim in 2022. “… I’ve been through a lot. Losing a father is harder than any injury or anything that happens in football. So, those are just the things that keep me going and keep me positive and keep me happy.

“… God blessed me with the ability to walk again. I know many people don’t get to walk again, so I stay positive because I know there are things much bigger than this.”

Dobbins has spoken about his faith before on social media. He writes in Spanish in his Instagram bio, “My God … Thank you” and he tweeted “I’m walking with Jesus on this journey” following the Chargers’ victory on Sunday.

 

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A post shared by Jk Dobbins (@jk.dobbins2)


Powered by Dobbins, the Chargers will seek to begin the season 3-0 for the first time since 2002 as they go on the road to face the Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) in Week 3. The game is set for Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

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