Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is heading into his seventh season in the league and has garnered a ton of criticism along the way.
There is no questioning Herbert’s talent. He has established himself as one of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, earning a Tier 2 designation in Mike Sando’s annual quarterback tiers.
Herbert ranked No. 6 overall, but not everyone is convinced by his resume.
One anonymous NFL defensive coordinator questioned Herbert’s lack of playoff success, saying in The Athletic’s annual survey of coaches and executives that the Chargers quarterback should have more accolades at this stage of his career.
“How long has he been in the league now?” a defensive coordinator asked. “They’ve never won a playoff game. I get it, but, like, if you’re the guy, at some point, I feel like they’ve been sniffing around enough. He should have had more accolades at this point.”
Sando noted that six of the eight general managers polled Herbert in the top tier.
It’s the third consecutive season in which Herbert lands in Tier 2 of these rankings. The 28-year-old landed in Tier 1 entering the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
An opposing coach went as far as to say that Herbert possesses all the tools of an elite quarterback.
“He looks exactly where he is supposed to look, he does exactly what he is supposed to do, but when it breaks down, he is big and strong enough to run your ass over,” an opposing coach said.
Last season was far from ideal for Herbert and the offense. They were without their top two tackles, which ultimately led to their disastrous showing in the Wild Card game against the New England Patriots.
Herbert doesn’t have much to show for in regards to accolades. He won Offensive Rookie of the Year and has earned two Pro Bowl nods. Herbert has yet to earn an All-Pro nod or MVP; however, that could all change this season.
Fair or not, Herbert’s playoff resume will remain a talking point until he gets the Chargers over the hump. The organization has built what it believes is a championship-caliber roster in hopes of finally changing that narrative in 2026.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: Defensive coordinator slams Justin Herbert over missing accolades
Reporting by Ricardo Sandoval , Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ricardo Sandoval , Chargers Wire | USA TODAY Network
