Quarterback Justin Herbert had a mixed season under center for the Los Angeles Chargers last year.
He led the Chargers to an 11-5 record as a starter, but once again fell at the first hurdle in the playoffs, where the offense stalled in an uninspiring 16-3 loss to the New England Patriots. On the back of that season, the pressure is mounting on Herbert to deliver the goods.
Justin Herbert Receives Scathing Maturity Evaluation
Herbert was ranked No. 7 in a list of the league’s best quarterbacks, voted for by executives, coaches and NFL scouts. In the list compiled by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, an NFL coordinator was brutally honest about Herbert’s standing among the league’s best quarterbacks.
“He plays young,” an NFL coordinator remarked. “He’s incredibly talented and has made progress, but he doesn’t have the maturity level of the other guys as far as how he runs the overall operation and mastery of the position.”
The Chargers fired offensive coordinator Greg Roman and hired Mike McDaniel to oversee their offense next season. The former Miami Dolphins coach has challenged Herbert’s habits during the offseason as he attempts to mold him into the league’s most effective quarterback.
In ESPN’s rankings, an NFC scout believed that it’s not all doom and gloom for Herbert since his presence made the Chargers’ offensive coordinator’s job one of the most glamorous available in the NFL.
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“There’s a reason the Chargers OC job was the best one available: because of the quarterback,” the scout said. “McDaniel should be able to streamline some things for Herbert, manufacture some layup first downs for him.”
Herbert was selected No. 6 overall by the Chargers in the 2020 NFL Draft. He immediately established himself as one of the league’s best quarterbacks, quickly usurping Tyrod Taylor as the team’s starter.
He broke several records, including most passing touchdowns by a rookie and becoming the fourth rookie quarterback to reach 4,000 passing yards. Herbert also won both the Offensive Rookie of the Year and Rookie of the Year Awards.
He has earned two Pro Bowl nods, but has been unable to take the final step to elevate to elite quarterback status. In six seasons in the NFL, Herbert has not won a single playoff game, a stat that’s always a bone of contention when it comes to ranking him among his peers.
The Chargers blew a 27-0 lead to the Jacksonville Jaguars in the wildcard round in 2022, and Herbert threw four interceptions in a 32-12 loss to the Houston Texans in 2024: two games that stand out as major blemishes on his track record.
Last season, Herbert earned a PFSN QB Impact score of 75.1, ranking him at No. 18 in the league. He registered 3,727 passing yards on 66.4% completion, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, while adding 498 rushing yards and two scores.
