The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Justin Herbert with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He has never stepped onto the field in a preseason game. However, that will change on Saturday when the Chargers take on the Los Angeles Rams.
Herbert came into the league during the COVID-19 pandemic and likely would have played in the preseason that year, but there were no games. Last season, he dealt with a nagging foot injury and then you had the Brandon Staley era in between, and he never had Herbert suit up.
Jim Harbaugh is going to change that, putting his starting quarterback into the game on Saturday. How much he will play remains to be seen, but it likely won’t be long. One has to wonder, why now?
Harbaugh may want his offense to get into a rhythm in a real-game setting that it can’t do in practice. He may also want his quarterback to shake off some of the offseason rust and be more prepared for the start of the regular season. There could be a number of reasons, but it’s a bit of a surprising announcement.
Justin Herbert’s preseason career:
2020: COVID, no preseason
2021-2023: Never played under HC Brandon Staley
2024: foot injury
2025: preseason debut— Alex Insdorf (@alexinsdorf99) August 14, 2025
There is also the fact that the team has some new weapons in the passing game, and Harbaugh may want to see Herbert throwing to guys like Tre Harris and Oronde Gadsden with defenders trying to stop them.
There is also the matter of the Chargers calling off a planned joint practice with the Rams earlier this week due to Harbaugh not wanting to expose any more players to the chance of injury, as he felt the team had already had too many. He may have wanted to get a look at Herbert against the Rams in that practice, and is using the preseason game as a substitute.
READ: Keenan Allen has chance to break one of team’s top all-time records
Whatever the reason, Herbert will suit up and play against the Rams on Saturday. Kickoff for that game is scheduled at 4:00 pm PT.
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