By James Brizuela

Copyright newsweek

The Los Angeles Chargers‘ offensive line took a major hit in Week 4, as star offensive lineman Joe Alt had to be carted off the field. The incident looked to be very serious, but it was later revealed that Alt did not suffer any broken bones or major injuries during the initial X-rays.

Read more: Chargers Star OL Joe Alt Carted Off Field With Concerning Injury

Now, Alt has been given an official injury diagnosis and a predicted timeline for return.

The MRI has confirmed that it’s a high-ankle sprain for Joe Alt, sources say. He’ll seek various opinions to determine how long he’s out. But expected to be several weeks. https://t.co/7RjFSIGJSb— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 29, 2025

Alt has suffered a high ankle sprain, which was confirmed by an MRI. While this may not keep him out long-term, he is expected to miss at least a few weeks.

“The MRI has confirmed that it’s a high-ankle sprain for Joe Alt, sources say. He’ll seek various opinions to determine how long he’s out. But expected to be several weeks,” Ian Rapoport stated on X.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 15: Joe Alt #76 of the Los Angeles Chargers gets set during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)

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High ankle sprains can be tricky, and oftentimes they lead to players being placed on IR. That does not appear to be the case for Alt, which is good news for this Chargers offense.

The Chargers are already down Rashawn Slater, who suffered a season-ending injury in training camp. Losing Alt for the season would have been detrimental for the team. However, his missing a few weeks is far easier to deal with.

Los Angeles dropped a major game against the New York Giants, as the team was stunned with a final score of 21-18. Rookie Jaxson Dart outdueled Justin Herbert to help lead New York to their first win of the season.

The loss of Alt clearly affected the outcome of the game, as the Giants’ defense was all over Herbert in the third and fourth quarters. Two sacks and 12 quarterback hits led to Herbert throwing two interceptions in the loss.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh may look to beef up the offensive line before the trade deadline in November.

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