12 Chargers players rescued after getting stuck in Dallas elevator

Twelve members of the Los Angeles Chargers had to be rescued from an elevator that got stuck at their hotel in Dallas on Friday.

It happened at around 7:30 p.m. in Texas, when the players and members of the team's traveling party "were stranded in an inoperable elevator at the team hotel," said the team in a post on X.

Firefighters with the Dallas-Fire Rescue team arrived to help those who were trapped inside, escorting each one out of a ceiling panel of the elevator one-by-one, according to the team.

"The Los Angeles Chargers thank Dallas Fire-Rescue for their quick response, professionalism and substantial efforts ensuring everyone's safety," the team's statement said.

KCAL News' Jaime Maggio was at the team hotel to cover Saturday's game, and said that the chaos happened when the players and team staff arrived at the hotel to check into their rooms.

Maggio says that the elevator bank was stuck for at least two hours until all of the people were freed. She says that firefighters unsuccessfully tried to pry the doors open with a crowbar before resorting to opening the elevator's ceiling panel so they could climb into an adjacent elevator bank.

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh offered an open invite to members of Dallas-Fire Rescue on Friday evening to thank them for their efforts.

While it's unclear which players were stuck on the elevator, Harbaugh told KCAL News that they would not be playing in Saturday's game, their preseason finale against the Dallas Cowboys. The current Bolts starters are not slated to play.