Justin Herbert Is One Of The NFL’s Greatest Talents But History Won’t Wait

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is under scrutiny once more after his third consecutive playoff defeat, this time at the hands of the No. 2-seeded New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium. The former Oregon Ducks signal caller finds himself at a similar career crossroads as many great quarterbacks before him as he looks to heal up and make a run next season.

Rebuilding is no secret for Herbert. He was never a major recruit coming out of high school. Herbert was an unheralded three-star recruit who began his career as a backup. Although Herbert worked his way onto the field as a freshman, the Ducks finished with their worst season in 25 years with a 4-8 record and were left to start anew.

Justin Herbert Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback NFL Playoffs Joe Burrow Jim Harbaugh Drake Maye Draft Super Bowl Oregon Ducks — Jan 11, 2026; Foxborough, MA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass during the third quarter against the New England Patriots in an AFC Wild Card Round game at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Underdog Origins

From there, Herbert would grow into the player who would ultimately lead his hometown team to a 12-2 record and become a Rose Bowl MVP in his senior season while scoring 108 career touchdowns in an Oregon Ducks uniform. In those toughest periods when nobody believed, Herbert grew into a player who would get drafted in the top ten of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Even then, Herbert was still just the third quarterback taken off the board behind Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa, both of whom were All-Americans and National Championship winners from storied SEC programs. While Herbert was certainly beloved by certain analysts and teams, he never had a chance of being the No. 1 pick.

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Career Crossroads

Now, six years into his professional career, he finds himself at yet another crossroads moment. There’s no way to refute the fact that Herbert’s record-breaking regular season achievements have been the driving force behind the Chargers' success in terms of getting to the playoffs. There’s also no way to justify his playoff career to this point with the uncanny unravelings that have manifested in different ways.

Through three playoff games, Herbert is 58/106 for 674 passing yards with two passing touchdowns, four interceptions, and a 0-3 record. Sure, there’s nuance to be applied here. Schematically, there’s much to be desired. Brutal injuries to two All-Pro offensive tackles, Joe Alt & Rashawn Slater, have eroded the pass protection. Pass catchers have had untimely drops, and the running game has been inconsistent, to say the least.

Self Evaluation

At the end of the day, history doesn’t care about nuance. Herbert is one of the greatest talents in NFL history, which is proven by the numbers and the eye test. What will define the next half of his career won’t be the numbers and accolades; it will be defined by whether he’s able to dig himself out of this playoff hole and win a few big ones. Herbert himself knows he must improve despite his surroundings.

“I didn’t play well enough and didn’t make any plays,” Herbert said in the post-game press conference. “When it mattered most, we didn’t score any points.”

If there’s anything to be taken from Herbert’s career so far, it’s to never bet against the kid from Eugene. More often than not, he finds a way to get it done. Herbert may very well be nearing that breakthrough, but he’ll have to wait until next season to prove it.

Underdog Origins

Career Crossroads

Self Evaluation

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