Brandon Mebane pulled his No. 92 jersey over his head, laced up his cleats, grabbed his helmet and headed for the Chargers practice field Wednesday, the return to the rhythm and routine of game-week preparations under a warm January sun providing something of a balm for the defensive tackle’s pain.
Mebane’s seven-week-old daughter, Makenna, who was born with a rare chromosome disorder, died on Jan. 3 after spending all of her short life in the neonatal intensive care unit of an Omaha, Neb., medical center.
Mebane missed four games in late November and December to be with his wife, Amena, and their two other children, Mahailey and Makai, in Nebraska.