When Jim Harbaugh took over as head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, he promised to instill a tougher, more unified identity. Less than a year into his tenure, that transformation is already showing up in ways both tangible and symbolic — right down to the practice jerseys.
If you’ve caught photos or footage from Chargers offseason workouts, you may have noticed something new: players wearing practice jerseys adorned with embroidered patches. These aren’t decorative. They’re earned.
According to Eric Smith of Chargers.com, each patch represents a career achievement — a résumé, as Harbaugh calls it — and players wear them like military medals. Whether it’s being named a team captain, making a playoff appearance, earning All-Pro honors, or winning the Chargers’ internal “Block of Granite” award in the weight room, the patches speak to what Harbaugh values: performance, consistency, and accountability.
Harbaugh’s Patch Program Isn’t Just Aesthetic — It’s Another Culture Shift for the Los Angeles Chargers

“Like a résumé,” Harbaugh explained. “Kind of reminds me how a general has different patches. Someday, they’ll be able to frame that jersey, hang it on the wall, and know it says something meaningful about what they accomplished as a pro football player. I like that.”
Veterans like Derwin James Jr. and Khalil Mack sport crowded patch clusters — James with nine Bolts in total, including captaincy, playoff appearances, All-Pro selections, and Walter Payton Man of the Year nominations (pictured here) Justin Herbert has a patch with 20 Bolts to represent the franchise records he’s shattered. For rookies and young players, the message is clear: there’s status to be earned — not given — in this new Chargers era.
“It’s fun, but it’s also motivating,” said James. “You want your jersey to look like that. It adds some bragging rights and competition in the locker room.”
The initiative echoes a college football tradition — like helmet stickers at Michigan, where Harbaugh coached before returning to the NFL. But in L.A., it’s taken on a uniquely professional tone. There’s pride, sure, but there’s also pressure — and that’s the point. Players now have visual proof of who’s leading by example, who’s earning their spot, and who’s chasing it.
The patches are part of a broader cultural overhaul. This year’s Chargers aren’t just hoping to win — they’re expecting to. That mindset shift was evident in a season-closing win over the Raiders, which locked up a playoff berth and spared them a brutal Wild Card draw. It showed up in Herbert’s laser-focused leadership and in Quentin Johnston’s redemption performance — 13 catches, 186 yards — after a season defined by inconsistency.
“This is the opportunity we worked for,” Herbert told the LA Times. “Through OTAs, through camp — this is what it’s about.”
For Harbaugh, who believes deeply in structure, symbolism, and the long game, the patches are a clever way of reinforcing what matters. They’re not just badges — they’re blueprints. And if the Chargers continue to follow them, the road to something much bigger may already be underway.
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