Oregon standout, Eugene native: What to know about LA Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert
This story was updated at 1:50 p.m. Dec. 12
Entering his fourth season in the NFL as quarterback for the LA Chargers, former Oregon Duck and Sheldon grad Justin Herbert is among Oregon’s most well-known athletes playing professionally today.
In July, Herbert agreed to a record-breaking contract extension with the Chargers, briefly becoming the NFL’s history-paid player with a five-year, $262.5 million deal set to run through the 2029 season. Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension in September, putting him ahead of Herbert, according to USA Today.
The record-breaking quarterback has become one of the game’s top passers with 94 touchdowns in three seasons to just 35 interceptions and over 14,000 yards.
Herbert led the Chargers to the playoffs for the first time since 2018 this past season but lost in the first round to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Herbert suffered a season-ending injury in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 24-7 loss to Denver on Sunday. He will be placed on injured reserve with a fractured right index finger, according to USA Today sports.
Herbert was scheduled for surgery on Tuesday and joins a long list of other starters to suffer injuries that have curtailed their seasons. The Chargers have a 5-8 record entering Week 15.
Here are things to know about the Eugene native and NFL star.
A standout at Sheldon
Before he burst onto the national scene at Oregon, Herbert was a local standout playing football, basketball, and baseball for the Sheldon Irish in Eugene.
Herbert threw 10 touchdown passes over his first two games as a junior before suffering a season-ending injury that complicated his recruiting process. He returned in the spring to help lead the Irish to a OSAA Class 6A baseball title during that same school year in 2015, hitting .400 with six runs scored and 11 RBIs. He also pitched just over 42 innings with a 1.98 ERA and 39 strikeouts.
Herbert was also a starter as a sophomore on an Irish basketball team that finished second at state.
Herbert returned to the gridiron for his senior season with a vengeance, throwing for 3,130 yards with 47 total touchdowns, leading Sheldon to the state semifinals. For his efforts, Herbert was a consensus three-star prospect and was rated as a top-five player in Oregon.
Off the field, Herbert formed Sheldon’s first fishing club, which grew to 80 members in its first year with Herbert as the club president. The club still exists today.
Leading the Ducks to the Rose Bowl
Staying close to home and committing to his backyard college, it didn’t take long for Herbert to take over the starting quarterback job in his true freshman season halfway through his first year at Oregon.
He was the first true freshman to start for the Ducks since Chris Miller in 1983.
Herbert went on to star for the Ducks, going 6-2 in his sophomore season while battling injuries before really taking off as a junior. The Eugene native helped the Ducks to a 9-4 record and a bowl win, throwing for 3,151 yards and 29 touchdowns with just eight interceptions.
Opting to return for his senior season, Herbert led the Ducks to a Pac-12 Championship win over Utah and a Rose Bowl victory, throwing for 3,471 yards and 32 touchdowns with just six picks.
Herbert is Oregon’s all-time leader in completions and pass attempts and led Oregon to a 27-8 record over his final three seasons. At one point, Herbert had a touchdown pass in 35 consecutive games, and finished second in UO history in touchdown passes (95) and passing yards (10,541).
Herbert graduated from Oregon with a degree in science, and was given the William V. Campbell Trophy, also known as the “Academic Heisman,” for his efforts on the field and in the classroom.
Herbert’s brother, Patrick, is a tight end at Oregon.
Setting records in the NFL
The 6-foot-6 quarterback was rewarded for his strong senior campaign and was drafted sixth overall by the Chargers in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Herbert signed a four-year rookie contract, worth a fully guaranteed $26.6 million.
Like at Oregon, Herbert was listed as the backup quarterback to start his NFL career behind Tyrod Taylor but took over as the starter in Week 2 against Kansas City after a Chargers team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung.
In that game, Herbert became the third player in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards and rush for a touchdown in his first career game. In Week 5, Herbert became the first rookie in NFL history to pass for four touchdowns on Monday Night Football and was the first rookie quarterback in NFL history with multiple touchdowns in seven consecutive games.
Herbert’s final numbers in his rookie campaign were enough to earn Rookie of the Year honors after he broke the rookie record for touchdown passes in a season (previously held by Baker Mayfield). He threw for 31 touchdowns, 4,336 yards, and 10 interceptions in his first season.
He followed that up with another stellar campaign in 2021, throwing for 5,014 yards, 38 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions. In his third season in the NFL last year, Herbert threw for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns, guiding the Chargers to the playoffs for the first time since 2018.
In three seasons, Herbert has 14,089 passing yards, 94 touchdowns, and 35 interceptions.
Alec Dietz covers University of Oregon football, women's basketball and baseball for The Register-Guard. You may reach him at adietz@registerguard.com and you can follow him on Twitter @AlecDietz.
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: What to know about LA Chargers quarterback, Oregon star Justin Herbert
