The Los Angeles Chargers face one of the NFL’s most demanding schedules in 2026, and former NFL head coach Jon Gruden has a clear prescription for how they need to handle it.

After opening the season with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 and the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2, Los Angeles runs into a gauntlet of playoff-caliber opponents that could define their entire season.

“The schedule this year for the Chargers is a challenge,” Gruden said. “(It’s) very important they come out of the chute and win these first two games. They’re very winnable. They open up with Arizona and the Raiders. They start off 2-0. But I think if you look at their schedule from Week 3 to 10, good God, it’s a challenge, man.”

From Week 3 through Week 13, the Chargers will face the Buffalo Bills in Buffalo, the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, the Denver Broncos, the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, the Los Angeles Rams, the Houston Texans, the Baltimore Ravens, the New York Jets, the New England Patriots, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Within that stretch, the Chargers will face Houston, New England, and Kansas City all coming off their bye weeks.

The Chargers will face the last 4 regular season MVPs

The scope of this schedule comes into sharper focus when you consider the individual talent L.A. will face. Gruden pointed out that the Chargers will play the last four regular-season MVPs: Matt Stafford, Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. His reaction? He said he’d send them a Hallmark card wishing them good luck.

“Because they got to go at Buffalo, at Seattle,” Gruden said. “That’s a long flight from L.A. Just so you know. Then they play Denver, and the Chiefs at home. Tough freaking games. Then they got to go play at the Rams, who have already won the Super Bowl. They just got fitted for their ring. And then they got to play the Texans, who are a pain in the ass, and then they got to go play at Baltimore. So in that time frame, they play the last four MVPs in the NFL. They’ve got to stop Stafford, Josh Allen, Pat Mahomes, and Lamar Jackson. I’ll send you a Hallmark card. Good luck.”

That stretch from Week 3 through Week 6 alone is enough to test any roster. Buffalo and Seattle back to back, followed by Denver and then a trip to Kansas City ahead of the bye week. Those are four games against teams with legitimate championship aspirations, and the Chargers won’t get much relief after the bye either. The Rams have assembled what looks like a super team, and the Texans remain one of the AFC’s top contenders.

Gruden’s message is simple: start fast

Gruden’s advice boils down to something straightforward. The Chargers must win their first two games. Arizona and Las Vegas represent the most winnable matchups on the schedule, and L.A. needs to capitalize on them before the difficulty ramps up. Starting 2-0 gives the Chargers a cushion. Starting 0-2 or 1-1 against teams they should beat on paper raises serious questions about how successful their season can be.

The Raiders are a division rival and always a tricky matchup regardless of roster talent, but the Chargers should still be favored in both of those early contests. If they can’t handle those games, the road ahead only gets harder.

The gauntlet is what good teams like the Chargers should want

Here’s the thing about a schedule like this: it’s exactly what NFL teams should want. To be the best, you have to beat the best. The Los Angeles Chargers will get that opportunity over and over again throughout the 2026 season. The schedule lines up MVPs, playoff hopefuls, former Super Bowl champions, and division rivals in rapid succession.

The key isn’t avoiding those matchups. It’s making sure you don’t drop the games you’re supposed to win. Beat Arizona and Las Vegas to start strong. If the Chargers do that, a bumpy ride through the middle of the schedule won’t derail their season. If they don’t, even the most talented roster will find itself climbing uphill from the start.