The Tide is Turning on Chargers QB Justin Herbert

There’s no question that it’s fair to ask if Jim Harbaugh is losing the Los Angeles Chargers locker room right now.

Read more Steelers Power Rankings Week 3: Steelers In Free Fall

But there’s something more concerning for the Chargers right now: It’s getting harder to defend Justin Herbert.

Chargers faithful and the broader NFL fanbase know the excuses in Herbert’s favor. They’ve been long justified. Cheap ownership (until recently). Terrible offensive lines. Bad coaching decisions. Endlessly rotating offensive coordinators. Bad skill position talent, for the most part. It goes on and on.

But this time, with the Chargers 0-2, it’s hard to muster up the usual energy in defense of Herbert, given the offseason he’s had in the public eye and some of the justified complaints about his play.

Defending Chargers QB Justin Herbert is getting harder

What are Chargers fans supposed to say when critics point out Herbert’s offseason?

Herbert spent an unusual amount of time in the public eye for the first time ever, showing up at major sporting events with his international pop star girlfriend and even starring in a music video. He missed part of voluntary work over the summer, a first, while Mike McDaniel was installing the new offense. And there was, for better or worse, the photos of him and Madison Beer on the field together after a summer practice.

When the results aren’t showing up on the field, these things get pointed at. Look at some scathing criticism from former NFL wideout Michael Irving on the Dan Patrick Show.

“I come from an old school, Irvin said. “where all focus must be on winning. Can’t have focus on anything else….you cannot have a locker room thinking that your mind isn’t on winning all the time.”

“I come from an old school… where all focus must be on winning. Can’t have focus on anything else.” – @michaelirvin88 defends his comments on Justin Herbert. pic.twitter.com/e6TueR11Qw

– Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) September 22, 2026

These would normally get handwaved as silly criticisms. Maybe in time, they will be.

Read more Justin Gaethje: Ilia Topuria will never be UFC champion again

But the Chargers are 0-2 and Herbert looks mildly lost and disinterested in an offense with a coordinator that is supposed to help him hit new heights.

At the end of the day, onlookers see backup quarterbacks and mid-tier starters pick up wins. Herbert, on a $262.5 million contract, has now dropped games to the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders. We’ve all seen him do more with less in places like Arrowhead Stadium while battling nagging injuries, so the criticisms feel more than warranted right now.

It just leaves Herbert open to silly stuff like this:

omg this can’t be real lmaoooo

Malik Willis vs the Raiders:

15-of-27, 220 yards, 1 INT, 66.9 rtg

Justin Herbert vs the Raiders:

15-of-27, 192 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT, 59.5 rtg https://t.co/ckjSCd7tvQ

– Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 20, 2026

And despite all of the problems around him over the years, fans have seen Herbert for six years and change now. His best seasons came early when Keenan Allen and others were still in their primes and there wasn’t as much film on him for other teams to review.

Make no mistake, a majority of the NFL would sprint to the phone right now if they thought the Chargers would trade Herbert. He’s still a top-10 player when he’s on.

Maybe this all clears up as the Chargers get more comfortable in the new offense. But taking all the above into account, it’s hard to generate a ton of pushback in defense of Herbert right now. The narrative is changing and so far, he’s simply not doing enough to force it back the other direction.

Sign Up For the Chargers Daily Digest – OnSI’s Free Los Angeles Chargers Newsletter

Today’s best reads

• Chargers Postgame Quotes That Matter From Herbert, Harbaugh After Train Wreck Loss
• Chargers’ Season is Lost and 3 Overreactions from Embarrassing Loss to Raiders
• Is Jim Harbaugh Losing the Chargers? Khalil Mack’s Comment Might be a Hint
• Did 2025 Take Too Much Out of Chargers QB Justin Herbert?
• Justin Herbert’s Flop Draws the Worst Type of Josh Allen Comparisons

This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/chargers/onsi as The Tide is Turning on Chargers QB Justin Herbert.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Read more Beloved Competitive Eating Champion Tim Janus Dead at 49

This story was originally published September 23, 2026 at 11:00 AM.