Justin Herbert’s Grit and Brilliance as a Rookie Set a New NFL Standard
Justin Herbert’s NFL career began in chaos. In Week 2 of 2020, veteran QB Tyrod Taylor suffered a punctured lung from a team doctor’s injection, just minutes before kickoff.
Herbert, the rookie from Oregon, was told he’d be starting against the reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs—with zero prep. He played like a veteran, throwing for over 300 yards and taking the game to overtime. From that point on, the Chargers never looked back.
By season’s end, Herbert had thrown 31 touchdown passes, breaking Baker Mayfield’s rookie record. He added 4,336 passing yards, 396 completions, and 5 rushing TDs.
What made it more incredible? He took a beating behind a porous offensive line, even playing through cracked ribs and immense pressure in multiple games.
In 2022, he threw for 5,014 yards—and in 2023, passed 15,000 career yards faster than any QB in NFL history. Herbert isn’t just talented. He’s tough as nails, poised, and already one of the most productive quarterbacks the league has ever seen in his first few years.
