Justin Herbert's pressure has never been greater

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Two drives. That was all Justin Herbert needed Thursday night to remind everyone why the Los Angeles Chargers believe in him, and why, entering his seventh NFL season, the pressure surrounding their franchise quarterback has never been greater.

The Chargers closed their preseason with a 20-18 loss to the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, finishing 1-2 after dropping their final two games. The Rams, meanwhile, finished the preseason undefeated at 3-0.

The final score will mean very little once the regular season begins.

Herbert’s two drives, however, were worth watching.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh elected to give some of his starters playing time in the preseason finale, giving fans one final glimpse of the team’s most important player before the real games begin.

And Herbert gave them the full experience.

The good.

The bad.

Then, almost immediately, the spectacular.

With 12:30 remaining in the first quarter, Herbert and the starting offense took the field. The first play was encouraging, a nine-yard reception by Charlie Kolar.

Then came the mistake.

On the very next play, the ball came loose off Herbert’s hands and the Rams recovered at the Chargers' 14-yard line.

Two plays. One turnover. The Rams turned the mistake into three points.

It was the kind of sequence that has become part of the larger conversation surrounding Herbert: the Chargers have seen the elite arm, the athleticism and the spectacular throws. But they have also seen mistakes at the worst possible times.

Harbaugh, however, was more interested in how his quarterback responded.

“Double wow,” Harbaugh said with a laugh. “I like the response from the entire team from week two to week three.”

Herbert's response came quickly.

On his second drive, his first pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage.

And then came the play that reminded everyone why the Chargers remain so convinced that Herbert can be the quarterback who finally takes this franchise where it wants to go.

On a play-action pass, Herbert recognized Quentin Johnston breaking open behind the safety.

He didn't hesitate. He didn't check down. He didn't overthink it. He uncorked a missile.

Johnston hauled it in and raced 65 yards for a touchdown with 9:41 left in the first quarter.

Herbert's night was over.

Two drives. One turnover. One touchdown. One spectacular throw.

“Wow. Double wow,” Harbaugh said when asked about Herbert's touchdown pass to Johnston.

That is Herbert in a nutshell. The arm talent has never been the question. The ability to make a throw that very few quarterbacks in football can make has never been the question.

The question is what happens when the lights become brighter, the stakes become higher and the margin for error becomes smaller.

That is where Herbert's pressure has changed.

Chargers fans have watched this movie before.

Herbert makes the throw. Herbert makes the scramble. Herbert makes the impossible look routine.

And then comes January.

Herbert enters his seventh season with an impressive regular-season resume but a playoff record that remains the elephant in the room.

He is 0-3 in playoff games. His first postseason appearance ended with the Chargers blowing a 27-point lead against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Two seasons ago, Herbert's Chargers were eliminated after he threw four interceptions against the Houston Texans. Last season, the offense managed only three points in a 16-3 Wild Card loss to the New England Patriots, with Herbert failing to throw a touchdown.

Those games matter more than any preseason touchdown. They matter more than another 4,000-yard season. They matter more than another highlight-reel throw.

Because Herbert is no longer trying to convince anyone that he has the physical ability to be a franchise quarterback.

The Chargers already gave him the ultimate vote of confidence.

A five-year, $262.5 million extension through 2029.

That contract doesn't simply say the Chargers believe Herbert can be good.

It says they believe he is their guy.

And that is exactly why the pressure is so enormous.

The most pressure of any L.A. athlete?

There are plenty of stars in Los Angeles dealing with expectations. But Herbert's situation is different.

Los Angeles is a city that demands championships, and the Chargers are a franchise that has spent years searching for an identity.

Now they believe they have the coach. They believe they have the quarterback. They believe they have the roster.

And they believe they have an offensive mind capable of unlocking Herbert in ways previous Chargers coaches haven't.

Mike McDaniel is Herbert's fifth offensive coordinator.

His assignment is not to discover whether Herbert can throw a football.

Everyone knows he can.

The challenge is to make Herbert's game faster, cleaner and more efficient.

The Chargers want quicker ball distribution. They want improved footwork in the pocket. They want Herbert operating more efficiently from under center and shotgun.

They want a version of Herbert that doesn't simply produce spectacular plays. They want a quarterback who controls games. That distinction matters.

Because the next step in Herbert's career isn't another statistical milestone.

It is winning a playoff game.

The Chargers haven't won a postseason game since 2018, when Philip Rivers was still their quarterback.

That is an uncomfortable fact for a player who has now been in the league long enough for the conversation around him to shift completely.

Early in Herbert's career, the question was:

How good can he become?

Now the question is: When is all that talent finally going to produce playoff wins?

That is a much different question. There is another layer to Herbert's situation this season.

For most of his career, Herbert has operated with an intensely private, low-key personality. He has rarely seemed interested in becoming the center of attention beyond football.

That has changed.

Herbert is now engaged to pop star Madison Beer after the two began dating less than a year ago. He has stepped into a different level of public visibility, appearing on red carpets, participating in Beer’s music videos and becoming part of viral moments away from the football field.

Even during Chargers training camp, Herbert and Beer were captured together in a viral moment while sitting near the end of practice.

Does that automatically mean his relationship will become a distraction? No.

But in Los Angeles, where celebrity culture and professional sports overlap almost everywhere, the microscope is naturally bigger.

Herbert isn't just the Chargers' quarterback anymore.

He's one of the most recognizable young athletes in the city.

And every part of his life is going to receive attention.

That doesn't mean Beer is a problem.

It means Herbert has entered a different stage of his career, professionally and personally, where there are fewer places to hide.

Herbert's statistical profile remains impressive, but the trajectory has become more complicated.

In 2025, he threw for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions while completing 66.4 percent of his passes. He was sacked 54 times and faced a league-high pressure rate.

He also dealt with a fractured left hand late in the season and finished with a career-high 498 rushing yards.

Those numbers don't scream failure.

They scream responsibility.

The Chargers need to protect Herbert better. They need to make his life easier. They need to maximize his strengths.

But eventually, Herbert has to be the player who makes the defining play when everything is on the line.

That is what separates good quarterbacks from the quarterbacks who become synonymous with winning.

It would be foolish to draw sweeping conclusions from two preseason drives.

The fumble doesn't mean Herbert is going to struggle.

The 65-yard touchdown doesn't mean the Chargers are guaranteed to make a deep playoff run.

But those two drives perfectly illustrated the paradox that has followed Herbert throughout his career.

On one play, the quarterback makes a mistake that puts his team in a hole.

On the next opportunity, he makes a throw that only a handful of quarterbacks in the NFL can make.

The Chargers have seen enough of the latter to commit their future to him.

Now they need to see it when it matters most.

The Chargers have two weeks to prepare before opening the regular season at home against the Arizona Cardinals.

The expectations are already enormous.

Harbaugh believes in Herbert. His teammates believe in Herbert. The coaching staff believes McDaniel can unlock another level of Herbert. And Herbert himself appears excited about what this season could become.

But belief is no longer enough.

The Chargers have spent years talking about potential.

This season is about results.

Herbert has the arm. He has the contract. He has the coach. He has the offensive system. He has the talent.

Now comes the part of the job that has eluded him so far.

January.

For Herbert, the preseason is over. The excuses are running out. And the pressure is just beginning.