Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert re-injured his ankle in the 20-10 loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers. After Elandon Roberts sacked him in the third quarter, the ankle sprain was aggravated, and Herbert limped off the field one play later. He did not return to the game. This is an injury that the quarterback originally suffered last week. He was limited in practice this week because of it. Herbert was seen in a walking boot after the game and also had X-rays done on his ankle. Herbert completed 12 of 18 passes for 125 yards before leaving the game.
The Return Of Taylor Heinicke
Former Commanders starting quarterback Taylor Heinicke came into the game in relief of the former Rookie of the Year. Heinicke only threw two passes for 24 yards in the game, completing both attempts. The Chargers certainly could have had a worse quarterback come into the game. They had Easton Stick start the final five games of last season when Herbert was injured. While he wasn’t terrible and threw for over 200 yards in four of his five starts, he also had a three-game stretch where he did not throw a touchdown. Head coach Jim Harbaugh thought it was time for another guy to step in this time.
In Heinicke’s six-year career, he has thrown for 6,635 yards, 39 touchdowns, 28 interceptions, and a QBR of 84.2. Heinicke’s best season was in 2021 with the Commanders where he threw for 3,419 yards, 20 touchdowns, 15 interceptions, and a QBR of 85.9. Despite Heinicke’s struggles with the Falcons last season, coach Harbaugh knows that if Herbert is sidelined for their next game, they’ve got a veteran quarterback who’s had a little bit of success.
Justin Herbert knew when it was time for the change today, and spoke on it after the game,
“Yeah, my responsibility as a quarterback is to give everything that I can to this team and my teammates, and I felt like I did that. I pushed myself and I couldn’t go anymore, and I had a tough time walking on it, moving on it, pushing off of it and I knew that Taylor [Heinicke] gave us a better shot to win.”
Justin Herbert’s Injury History
This is not Justin Herbert’s only recent injury. Last season, he missed the final four games with a broken index finger on his throwing hand. That injury required surgery. Herbert is now dealing with another injury in 2024. He believes it is nothing serious though and he hopes to play next week against the Chiefs, a pivotal divisional game.
If the quarterback’s high ankle sprain continues to bother him throughout the season, it’ll certainly be a huge blow for the Chargers. They are trying to usher in a new era under Jim Harbaugh and not having their star quarterback could hurt their progress. We’ll see how the health of Herbert’s ankle progresses over the course of this week.
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