What Happened to Justin Herbert?
Herbert got hurt in the first quarter against the Raiders on a scramble near the end of the opening drive. A hit from safety Jeremy Chinn sent his left hand into the defender helmet and a bone on the back of that hand broke.
He still finished that drive and threw a touchdown to Quentin Johnston before going to the locker room with trainers. The team listed him as questionable while backup Trey Lance took the next series at quarterback.
Herbert came back to the field wearing a hard wrap under a white glove on his left hand with fingers taped together. He then returned to the game and played more than half the snaps with the broken hand.
What the Medical Staff Decided?
After the game head coach Jim Harbaugh said Herbert has a break in the back of his non throwing hand. Doctors told the team he needs a procedure to stabilize the bone so surgery is scheduled for Monday.
Reports describe the injury as a broken metacarpal which is one of the long bones in the hand behind the fingers. Because it is the left hand and not the right throwing hand the team believes he might play through it with protection.
Herbert said he will prepare as if he is playing next week and called it mostly about stabilizing the hand and dealing with pain. The staff will watch how he handles snaps and ball security in practice before making a final call.
How it affected his play?
In that Raiders game the Chargers changed the offense once he hurt the hand. They kept him almost fully in shotgun so he did not have to take snaps directly under center which would press on the injured hand.
He still went 15 of 20 passing for 151 yards with two touchdowns and one interception and posted a strong passer rating. The run game did more of the heavy work but he hit key third down throws even with the injury.
Herbert admitted gripping the ball was the toughest part which is why they adjusted the play calling. Ball security was a key focus so he took fewer risks and got the ball out quick or handed off to the backs.
What it means for the next games?
The plan now is simple. He has surgery to stabilize the bone then tries to play with a cast or padded glove on his left hand.
Harbaugh said the team does not yet know if Herbert will miss time and they will see how the week goes. Official updates before the Monday night game against the Eagles will show whether he is cleared or ruled out.
If Herbert cannot play Trey Lance is the next man up at quarterback while Herbert heals. That would be a big change for the Chargers offense at a time when every game matters in the AFC playoff race.
Disclaimer
This injury update is based on publicly available reports and official team comments. It is not medical advice. Player statuses can change quickly, so always check official Los Angeles Chargers injury reports and league announcements for the most current information.
