Since making his NFL debut in 2020, Justin Herbert has been widely regarded as one of the league’s most gifted quarterbacks.
He came close to outdueling Kansas City Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes early in his career, a performance that instantly placed him among the top five quarterbacks in the NFL.
While Herbert’s talent has never been questioned, his lack of postseason success has drawn criticism. Early on, however, those shortcomings were often forgiven, as he clearly outshined the roster around him.
But with the Los Angeles Chargers now under the leadership of head coach Jim Harbaugh and boasting a strong lineup of offensive weapons, the former Oregon standout is expected to rise to the occasion.
Herbert’s first playoff appearance came against the Jacksonville Jaguars a few years ago. Although he played well, the Chargers infamously blew a 27-point lead.
This past season, despite setting an NFL record for the best touchdown-to-interception ratio, he had another chance at postseason glory—only to throw four interceptions in a disappointing loss.
Now, with the pressure higher than ever, Herbert is finally facing his critics head-on.
He spoke with the media and shockingly downplayed his playoff struggles, saying, “Obviously it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, like I said at the end of the year, but you gotta move on.”
Plenty of players have made tone-deaf remarks in the past, but it’s surprising to hear such comments from someone of Justin Herbert’s stature.
While it’s understandable that some athletes prefer to move on rather than dwell on tough losses, Herbert’s response came across as unusually dismissive.
He seemed to downplay the legitimacy of the criticism, almost suggesting that it doesn’t carry much weight or relevance.
But in the NFL, playoff performances are the cornerstone of a player’s legacy—they shape how careers are remembered. Herbert, however, doesn’t seem particularly concerned with that narrative.
For a franchise like the Chargers, who have endured years of heartbreak, hearing this kind of apathy from their franchise quarterback is especially disappointing.
