Justin Herbert Leaves Game After Non-Contact, Chargers Fans In Shambles

Chargers fans can't catch a break.

Los Angeles fumbled what appeared to be a favorable matchup in Week 3 against the sputtering Steelers offense. 

Stinging more than the defeat was losing quarterback Justin Herbert in the second half in a non-contact sequence.

Herbert re-aggravated a high ankle sprain injury that put his status in question coming into Sunday's game. After a hand-off to JK Dobbins in the third quarter, Herbert hobbled off the field and fell to the ground on the sideline, giving Bolts fans a sinking feeling as Taylor Heinicke stepped in under center.

PITTSBURGH - Elandon Roberts #50 of the Pittsburgh Steelers sacks quarterback Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium on September 22, 2024. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

The Chargers never stood a chance after Herbert went down, losing to Pittsburgh, 20-10. Heinicke went 2-of-2 for 24 yards, with his leaky offensive line to blame for crippling the offense's odds of getting back into the game. LA held onto a 10-10 tie until Herbert left the game. He completed 12-of-18 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.

NFL fans on X were skeptical of the Chargers coaching staff's decision to let Herbert, asking if the team prematurely agreed to let Herbert play despite coming into the game injured. 

Herbert went down in Week 2's matchup against Carolina after taking a hard sack and seemingly re-injuring his ankle after taking a sack on Sunday from Elandon Roberts. 

Compounding the loss of Herbert was losing first-round o-linemen, Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.

Chargers safety Derwin James commended Herbert for fighting through the pain on Sunday before re-aggravating his injury, revealing that Herbie felt less than 50 percent healthy.

"He was 40 percent today, 35 percent today, he didn’t feel all the way 100," James said after the game.

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