By Christopher Galaviz & Karina Magana
Justin Herbert is one of the most underrated quarterbacks in the NFL, and the hate he gets really does not make sense. Since coming into the league in 2020, he has been putting up numbers that almost no quarterback has ever matched early in their career. He broke the rookie record for passing touchdowns and quickly became one of the fastest players to rack up huge passing yard totals. From the start, Herbert has looked like a franchise QB and has played at a consistently high level.
A lot of the criticism comes from team results, which is unfair. The Chargers have had defensive issues, blown leads, and coaching problems for most of Herbert’s career. Many losses came after Herbert already gave the team a late lead or tied the game. Wins and losses are not a quarterback-only stat, but Herbert still gets blamed when things fall apart around him.
The whole idea that Herbert is not clutch is just wrong. Since 2020, he is second in the entire league in game-winning drives. That alone shows he shows up when it matters most. When the Chargers need a big throw on third down or a late touchdown drive, Herbert has delivered over and over again, even if the defense could not close it out.
Herbert also deserves credit for how tough he is. He has played through injuries, taken hits, and never really complains. On top of that, he has had to learn multiple offensive systems and deal with constant changes at head coach. Despite all of that, his production has stayed near the top of the league.
When you look at the full picture, Justin Herbert clearly does not deserve the hate. The stats, the records, and the game-winning drives all show how good he really is. If he had more stability and support around him, the narrative would be completely different.
