Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback Justin Herbert In Hot Water Over Postgame Behavior
The Los Angeles Chargers just pulled off a gutsy, down-to-the-wire overtime win against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football. This is the moment players live for. Enter ESPN’s Laura Rutledge, trying to snag an interview with Justin Herbert.
What should have been a standard “how’d you do it” chat turned into one of the most awkward sideline encounters you’ll ever see.
The Great Sideline Escape
As Rutledge approached, Herbert looked like a running back hitting a hole, making a beeline for his teammates. “I’m trying to celebrate with my team,” he said, essentially giving her the Heisman. It was a moment of pure, unfiltered emotion. Rutledge, a total pro, didn’t back down. She pursued him, respectfully asking for just a quick moment of his time.
When she finally corralled him, the interview was… well, it was something. Herbert looked about as thrilled as a lineman in a yoga class, giving short, clipped answers while his eyes darted around, clearly wanting to be anywhere else. The whole exchange was so cringeworthy that announcer Joe Buck had to play hero and cut it short, saying, “Alright, now he can go celebrate with his teammates.” Talk about a rescue mission.
Was Herbert Out Of Line?
The Twitter-verse, of course, exploded. One camp lit their torches, calling Herbert “rude” and a “bit of a dick.” From their perspective, post-game interviews are part of the job, especially for a franchise quarterback. You win, you talk. It’s the drill. Sports Illustrated’s Ryan Phillips pointed out that it’s a professional obligation, and Herbert’s behavior seemed dismissive of Rutledge, who was just trying to do her job.
But then, the defenders rushed in. They argued this was a total non-story. Herbert was amped up after a huge win and just wanted to revel in the moment with the guys he went to battle with. He did eventually do the interview, didn’t he? WFAN’s Nick Kostos defended Herbert, noting he fulfilled his obligation and that Rutledge handled the situation perfectly.
The “Superhero” In the Room
Here’s the plot twist that changes everything: Herbert wasn’t just playing a football game. He was playing with a broken non-throwing hand less than a week after having surgery on it. He took seven sacks in that game. Head Coach Jim Harbaugh wasn’t just impressed; he called his quarterback a “superhero.”
“It felt like we were in a movie,” Harbaugh said, clearly in awe of his quarterback’s toughness.
Herbert himself, in his classic humble fashion, brushed off the heroics. He pointed to his teammates, saying guys in that locker room were fighting through worse injuries. For him, showing up and giving his all was simply the least he could do.
So, was Herbert being a jerk? Or was he just a warrior, running on pure adrenaline and pain, who wanted nothing more than to share a raw, victorious moment with his brothers in arms? Maybe it is a bit of both. But when you factor in the broken hand and the sheer grit it took to even be on that field, you have to cut the guy some slack. It wasn’t his smoothest moment, but it was a real one. And in the polished world of professional sports, maybe a little raw humanity isn’t such a bad thing.
