In December 2025, Denzel Perryman, a linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers, faced disciplinary action from the NFL after an incident during a game against the Dallas Cowboys. The Chargers secured a significant victory, winning 34-17, which placed them in a favorable position for the playoffs. However, the celebration was overshadowed by Perryman's actions during the match. He delivered a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cowboys wide receiver Ryan Flournoy, resulting in Flournoy being ruled out of the game. Although Perryman expressed regret over the hit and defended his playing style, claiming he had never been a dirty player, the NFL deemed the hit a violation of its rules. They imposed a two-game suspension on Perryman without pay for this incident, citing Rule 12, Section 2, Article 10(b), which prohibits contact to an opponent's head. This was not Perryman's first offense, as he had faced a suspension earlier in 2023 for a similar violation involving another player, Ja'Marr Chase from the Cincinnati Bengals. With the suspension looming, Perryman is set to miss crucial upcoming games against the Houston Texans and Denver Broncos, should his appeal fail. In a separate controversy, Cowboys offensive lineman Cooper Beebe publicly criticized the Chargers' social media team after a video was posted that he believed misrepresented him as racist. During the game, Beebe made a call to his teammates but noted that edited audio in the Chargers' video created an impression he found offensive. The post which included a caption of “lol instant karma” was later deleted after Beebe voiced his discontent, further complicating the relationship between the two teams during this competitive period in the NFL. Despite these controversies, the Chargers have solidified their playoff position and are focused on clinching the AFC West title, continuing their pursuit for the number one seed in the league.