Tom Brady throws some head-turning comments at playoff-bound Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers aren’t exactly a national commodity.

As such, a big chunk of the NFL fan community could be forgiven for not knowing Jim Harbaugh’s team is 10-4, has rattled off three straight wins and in back-to-back weeks taken down last year’s Super Bowl teams, Philadelphia and Kansas City.

Justin Herbert did that just a week after having surgery on his non-throwing hand, by the way.

Perhaps some comments from Tom Brady might wake up the national side to the Chargers?

Tom Brady’s Chargers comments are worth a look

Oct 21, 2024; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) with head coach Jim Harbaugh against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

When Tom Brady talks, NFL fans and otherwise tend to listen, so Chargers fans will be happy to hear he ranked the team as fifth overall in his latest bit of power rankings.

People gloss over numbers, though. What Brady had to say about the Chargers is what really matters.

“The Chargers get a huge boost in my rankings this week,” Brady said. “I think they deserve some recognition for exorcising demons, going on the road to Arrowhead to knock the Chiefs out of the playoffs. I’m not sure they can chase down Denver, but this team is battle-tested and Harbaugh won’t be afraid of anyone next month.”

We’ll see about that whole “catching Denver” thing. The Chargers get a 6-7-1 Dallas team this weekend, then a surging Houston team before closing the season against those 12-2 Broncos.

Very impressed with what Justin Herbert has done this season given the situation. https://t.co/UGyD61vn2m
— Steve Palazzolo (@StevePalazzolo_) December 16, 2025

Denver, on the other hand, finishes against 10-4 Jacksonville and the Patrick Mahomes-less Chiefs before the finale against the Chargers.

As they say, crazier things have happened.

More to the point, Brady is impressed with the Chargers knocking off the Chiefs. They’re 5-0 in the AFC West now. And they sure feel like a team that has finally worked through some of the devastating injury bug issues and found a groove.

There’s also the Jim Harbaugh impact that Brady mentions, too. In this wide-open AFC, there probably aren’t many teams that want to see a Harbaugh squad in freezing conditions, especially when he’s got a quarterback who can flip a switch and hit MVP-caliber play when his team needs a boost.

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