Did 2025 Take Too Much Out of Chargers QB Justin Herbert?

Ah, those NFL schedules. Take the Los Angeles Chargers for example. A playoff team in each of the past two seasons, Jim Harbaugh’s club had a supposed easy track to a 2-0 start with the Arizona Cardinals and the Las Vegas Raiders, both who finished with 3-14 win-loss records and in last place in their respective divisions in 2025, coming to SoFi Stadium in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively.

Cardinals 26, Chargers 14

Raiders 26, Cardinals 14

Justin Herbert and the Chargers are off to a shaky start in 2026

Joe Alt — IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Now it would be hypocritical to point out the team’s next few games and predict gloom and doom. Rather, it’s time to take a somewhat-painful look at the Chargers’ two-time Pro Bowl quarterback and his recent struggles. And things seem to be getting worse than better.

This dates back to the start of the 2025 season, the reason being is that Harbaugh’s team would begin and end the year without star left tackle Rashawn Slater. Yes, the Bolts won their first three games and would finish 11-6 and in the playoffs for a second straight year. Keep in mind that the team shifted right tackle Joe Alt over to left tackle. His 2025 campaign lasted six games.

Chargers’ QB Justin Herbert has taken a beating as of late

Justin Herbert has REGRESSED under Mike McDaniel.

And Jim Harbaugh will start a season 0-2 for the first time in his life at any level as a HC. pic.twitter.com/jtDzO0kPu9
— Armando Salguero (@ArmandoSalguero) September 20, 2026

Back to Herbert. Including the 2025 wild card loss to the New England Patriots at Foxborough, the sixth overall pick in the 2020 NFL draft has played and started 19 contests. He’s thrown for a combined 4,287 yards and 28 touchdowns. The 6’6”. 236-pound signal-caller has also totaled 101 rushing attempt for 586 yards and a pair of scores.

Meanwhile, Herbert has been sacked a disturbing 66 times, dropped three or more times in 13 of those outings. He’s also turned over the football on 19 occasions, courtesy of 16 interceptions and three lost fumbles.

In this season’s unexpected losses to the Cardinals and Raiders, the 28-year-old pro combined to hit on just 59.3 percent of his passes for 401 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. He was sacked three times in each of those setbacks.

Can the Bolts and Justin Herbert bounce back from their 0-2 start?

OMARION HAMPTON FUMBLES THE BALL IN A CRUCIAL MOMENT FOR THE CHARGERS 😬

Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn recovers the fumble and runs it 43 yards to give Las Vegas great field positioning 🔥 pic.twitter.com/sZf2aH9Y6C
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 20, 2026

The two defeats are certainly not all on Herbert. The team’s pass protection has been iffy. Second-year running back Omarion Hampton has run for 137 yards and two touchdowns but has also lost a pair of fumbles. Receivers have had trouble hanging onto the ball. A defensive unit that allowed the fifth-fewest total yards per game (285.2) in the league in 2025 is giving up 349.0 yards per contest.

All told, with Herbert as the starter, the Chargers are 8-8 in their last 16 contests after their 3-0 start a year ago. To use a boxing adjective, the still-young quarterback currently looks a bit like a shot fighter. Perhaps the beating he took in 2025 has carried over a bit into this season, and this Sunday’s trip to Buffalo will obviously be a challenge.

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