Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is dealing with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday's win over the Carolina Panthers, but head coach Jim Harbaugh believes the starter will suit up in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
"Crystal ball? I expect him to [play] -- he's getting better every day," Harbaugh said when asked if there was a possibility Herbert might not play in Pittsburgh. "Last night, we had a meeting with him and he's feeling much better and good today."
The Chargers are staying in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week before heading to Pittsburgh for Sunday's game.
Herbert suffered the injury in the third quarter against the Panthers when the Chargers QB attempted to escape the pocket but was yanked from behind while getting crunched from the front. The dual collision caused Herbert's legs to get trapped under linebacker DJ Johnson, who rolled up on the QB. Herbert didn't miss a snap but was seen limping following the contest.
Harbaugh said Monday that X-rays came back negative on Herbert's right leg.
If Herbert can't start Sunday against the Steelers, Harbaugh noted that Easton Stick would get the nod over Taylor Heinicke.
"Right now it's Easton," he said. "But we are going to be way over the legal limit of 'what ifs' if this or if that."
The Los Angeles Chargers have opened the 2024-25 NFL season 2-0 for the first time since 2012, under the leadership of recently hired head coach Jim Harbaugh. This retooled football team looks completely different than what Chargers fans have been accustomed to in recent memory.
Harbaugh has this team rushing the football at a level we have not seen since Melvin Gordon was the lead man in the backfield and their defense looks formidable under the guidance of coordinator Jesse Minter.
With the Chargers having AFC West division title aspirations, the one thing that could really hamper this team is health. A season ago Los Angeles lost key players like Joey Bosa, Derwin James Jr., and franchise quarterback Justin Herbert due to injury. In order for the Chargers to give themselves their best opportunity at postseason success they will need their best players available throughout the length of the NFL season.
During Chargers' 2024 training camp Herbert was a limited participant due to a plantar fascia injury to his right foot. In December of 2023, the former Oregon Ducks standout missed the remainder of the season because of a broken index finger in his throwing hand that required surgery.
The Chargers franchise did not do a good job protecting their signal-caller a year ago and thought they would be able to avoid the same outcome from a season ago by selecting Notre Dame left tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. To Alt's credit, he looks like he is going to be an All-Pro level player alongside Rashawn Slater in the future.
Discouraging news for Chargers' fans as it was recently reported that Herbert suffered a tweak to his right ankle during their week two game against the Carolina Panthers. The ailment to the 2020 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year's ankle is on the same right side as the foot injury that hindered him during training camp.
Worth noting that Justin Herbert’s ankle injury is on the same side (right) as the plantar fascia injury that kept him out of most of training camp.
Fortunately for Chargers faithful, there is an expectation that Herbert will be able to suit up this Sunday as Los Angeles travels cross-country to take on their best opponent so far this season in the Mike Tomlin-led Pittsburgh Steelers. According to coach Harbaugh, Herbert should feel better as the week gets closer to Sunday.
“Crystal ball? Expect him to get better every day. I was in a meeting with him. Said he was feeling much better and good today."
The Steelers will be a real test for the Chargers and if they want to upset Pittsburgh who are favored at home they will need their franchise quarterback to be ready to go on Sunday.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert missed practice Wednesday after suffering an ankle injury during Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers.
After the team’s off day in Charlotte, N.C., where the Chargers are training for one week before facing the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Herbert told head coach Jim Harbaugh he was “feeling much better” during a meeting Wednesday morning at the team hotel, Harbaugh said.
If the 26-year-old is unable to play Sunday, Easton Stick would be in line to start, Harbaugh said Wednesday. But outlining a specific backup plan is “going to be way over the legal limit of ‘what ifs,’” Harbaugh added.
Stick struggled during the preseason when Herbert sat out of all three games with a plantar fascia injury. He completed just 45.5% of his passes during the three preseason games with one touchdown and three interceptions.
His shaky performance necessitated the addition of Taylor Heinicke after training camp, but the nine-year veteran has been inactive for the two games while serving as the emergency third quarterback.
It wouldn’t be the first time Stick has stepped in for an injured Herbert. The North Dakota State alumnus started four games last season after Herbert broke a finger on his non-throwing hand.
“One hundred percent trust,” receiver Quentin Johnston said of Stick. “Easton was here day in, day out, still getting reps with ones and twos so I feel like me as well as everybody else, we got a lot of trust.”
Johnston is emerging from a receivers group in need of a go-to option after Keenan Allen and Mike Williams left as salary-cap casualties. The second-year pro out of Texas Christian leads the Chargers with eight catches for 89 yards.
He hauled in two touchdowns against the Panthers, matching his touchdown number from a rookie season that more remember for his mistakes than his successes.
“Maybe nobody [I’m] more excited for than Quentin Johnston,” Harbaugh said after Sunday’s game. “Everybody on the team really likes Q and loves him, respects him. I think probably most of all because he’s kind of been picked on by a lot of people, and it doesn’t faze him. He just keeps doing him.”
With high expectations as the 21st overall pick, Johnston had a quiet 38 catches for 431 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He admits the lowlights of his first season overshadowed the glimpses of production.
He was haunted — and motivated — by a dropped fourth-quarter pass in Week 11 that could have put the Chargers in position to at least attempt a game-tying field goal against the Green Bay Packers.
“Proving myself,” Johnston said of his offseason focus. “Just working on the details, knowing that I’m a good enough football player to be in this league. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.”
The 6-foot-4 Texas native is starting to show the potential that made him a star at TCU. He led the Horned Frogs in receiving for three consecutive years, including a standout freshman campaign in 2020 when he set the Big 12 record for yards per catch (22.1) by a true freshman with at least 20 catches.
He reeled in his first touchdown on his second career catch, a 37-yard score in his collegiate debut against Iowa State.
“I just knew from that point forward, he was going to be special,” former TCU teammate Derius Davis said.
Davis, who was drafted in the fourth round by the Chargers last season, commended Johnston’s maturity entering his second pro season. With the collected nature of a seasoned vet, Johnston didn’t bask in the glory of his first multi-touchdown game for long.
When teammates shouted “Q!” as he stepped forward to accept a game ball, Johnston simply told the group he wanted to “put one foot in front of the other and keep going.”
The equipment staff briefly took the ball for final storage preparations before handing it back to Johnston. He allowed himself to smile as he tucked it in his bag. He will celebrate a spot on a shelf at home later.
Outside linebacker Joey Bosa doesn’t expect to be hampered by back tightness that flared up last week. Bosa missed two of three practices leading up to last Sunday’s game but played 14 snaps for two tackles and one sack. He said Wednesday he was ready to stay in the game longer, but with the blowout win in hand, he was content to play it safe on the sideline. He was officially listed as limited in Wednesday’s practice with a hip injury. … Safety Alohi Gilman returned to practice as a limited participant after missing last week’s game with a knee injury. … Linebacker Junior Colson (hamstring), wide receiver Joshua Palmer (elbow/calf), outside linebacker Bud Dupree (illness) and cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) did not practice.
