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'Competitive maniac.' Chargers marvel at Justin Herbert's return
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- 'Competitive maniac.' Chargers marvel at Justin Herbert's return
Los Angeles Chargers coaches and players marveled over Justin Herbert's toughness after he helped the team defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 22-19 in overtime just a week after left-hand surgery.
"He's a superhero. He's a competitive maniac. He was even stiff-arming guys with a broken hand, and he had surgery a week ago," Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. "It felt like we were in a movie where the quarterback's doing these things and you get to a point where you go, 'Okay, this is getting a little unrealistic,' you know? That's what it felt like to me. He refuses to lose [and] he's as tough as they get. He's a superhero quarterback."
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Herbert was optimistic about not missing action ever since he fractured his left hand during the Chargers' Week 13 win over the Las Vegas Raiders . He had left-hand surgery on Dec. 1.
Herbert played with protective gear and a white glove on his surgically repaired hand. He didn't have one of his better performances. He completed 12 of 26 passes for 139 yards to go with one touchdown and one interception. He even lost a fumble. But he led the Chargers on a game-winning drive in overtime to help lift the Chargers to one of their biggest wins of the Harbaugh era. It was Herbert's 19thgame-winning drive of his career, the second most in the NFL since 2020.
Chargers teammates laud Herbert's quick return from surgery
"He's just a warrior," Chargers safety Tony Jefferson said. "As a defender, he makes you want to play harder. Knowing the guy under center over there got surgery one day and is back on the practice field like in two days. It shows a lot. Shows how much he cares."
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Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack had a similar reaction.
"Herbert going out there seven days after surgery and play," Mack said. "It's like who else in the league doing that?"
Herbert's had a bruising 2025 campaign. The Chargers lost both of their standout tackles in Rashawn Slater (knee) and Joe Alt (ankle). The offensive line is showing the effects of Slater and Alt's season-ending injuries.
According to Next Gen Stats , Herbert's taken the most QB hits (106), and he's faced the most amount of pressures (224) and quick pressures (94) in the NFL this season. He was sacked a career-most seven times by the Eagles and was pressured on 68% of his dropbacks on Monday night.
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The 9-4 Chargers are currently fifth in the AFC and have a 76% chance of making the playoffs after their upset win. Los Angeles travels to Kansas City to battle the Chiefs in Week 15.
Herbert plans to be active again, two weeks removed from suffering a fracture in his left hand.
"The respect I have for our teammates, our locker room, our coaching staff. I owe it to them to go out there and give my best effort," Herbert said. "I've dealt with worse things, worse injuries and it's part of the game."
Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon .
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chargers call QB Justin Herbert 'superhero' after return from surgery
