Chargers News: Elite LA Linebacker Reflects on Breakout Individual Season

This standout young defender looks back on a job well done.

Nov 6, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) sacks New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) during the second quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Young Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu enjoyed a breakout rookie season in 2023.

After being selected by the Bolts with the No. 54 pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft, the 6-foot-3, 266-pound All-American USC Trojans star looked back on his PFWA All-Rookie debut season with his hometown team., during an interview with Eric Smith of Chargers.com.

"After the season was done, I didn't really care what I did or what I didn't do [as a rookie]," Tuipulotu said. "Just got to keep building."

Tuipulotu also got remarkably candid about how he felt with regards to L.A.'s miserable 5-12 finish last season.

"Yeah, it was pretty tough," Tuipulotu noted. "It kind of gave me flashbacks of my sophomore year at USC. We had a bad record like that and yeah, it's not a good thing, it's not a good feeling. You question a lot of stuff when you're losing even though you shouldn't. But sometimes it just happens just because you're losing so much. But I think we just keep building. I mean, we hit the rock bottom, so the only way is up now."

When asked about what key takeaways he had regarding the season, the 2022 Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year remarked on big areas he'd like to improve on this offseason.

"If we're talking about football wise, I'd say I need to work on pass rush moves and all that," he said. "But as a man or a person, I'd say I learned how to be resilient. I think although everything is going downhill, still being able to have a level head, still continuing on. A lot of stuff happened. A lot of people went down and record was pretty bad, so being able to stay level and just keep going."

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