Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has his second-worst career passing season, throwing for 3,870 yards and his second-lowest touchdown passing season, 23, in the first season of the Jim Harbaugh era — his worst numbers were when he played in 13 games.
Despite the outlier season, the QB finished 9th in MVP voting and 12th in the Comeback Player of the Year award.
The Athletic released its annual anonymous QB tier survey from coaches and executives from around the league. Herbert was ranked as the 7th-best quarterback in the league, remaining in the tier 2 list from the previous year.
The former Oregon Duck product was given 13 first-tier, 34 second-tier and 3 third-tier votes from around the league. Here is what they had to say about him:
Coaches On Justin Herbert
GettyLos Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert
In the anonymous survey, two offensive coaches, a defensive coordinator and one more voter expressed their thoughts about Justin Herbert.
“A lot of people have him as an automatic 1,” an offensive coordinator said. “I want him to take it. It seems like he is almost there, but he hasn’t really done it.”
“He is just a little bit robotic,” a defensive coordinator said. “You can tell, the way he processes everything, it is a click slower than some of the elites, but he is a stud — he is really good.”
“He is probably like Joe Burrow lite,” another voter said. “Good player, can make all the throws, can decipher and operate. If they had more around him and he kept maturing, maybe there is some more there… They have like 18 running backs out there now,” he said. “They were so dependent on one receiver (Ladd McConkey) that we felt good matching up against everyone else.”
Justin Herbert is entering his 6th season in the NFL and is currently the 9th highest paid quarterback in the league, with an AAV of $52.5 million according to Over the Cap.
Still Developing
GettyLos Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
One similar thing the anonymous voters said about Justin Herbert needing some more time to develop, or getting weapons around him.
The Chargers drafted running back Omarion Hampton and two receivers and a tight end in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bolts brought back wide receiver Keenan Allen on a one-year deal, who has chemistry with Herbert as his number 1 WR.
Entering his second year with head coach Jim Harbaugh, the former Michigan national Champion said he had a plan for Justin Herbert.
“I woke up the other day and said, ‘I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. Must get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame,’” Harbaugh said on the Rich Eisen show. “It’s one of those things you wake up at 3:30, 4 in the morning. Sometimes that’s when your best ideas come.”
Looking to help the team back to the playoffs, Justin Herbert seems poised for a better season than last year.
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