Jim Harbaugh Doesn't Want Other Chargers QBs to Emulate Justin Herbert

Valentina Martinez | Sep 1, 2024

Jul 24, 2024; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) speaks to the media after the first day of training camp at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh came to the realization that nobody could do what Justin Herbert does on the field.

"The backup quarterbacks here with the Chargers behind Justin, it just hit me now … I've been watching this for months now, but we have got to coach them separately from Justin," Harbaugh said in his opening statements in Thursday's press conference.

Harbaugh told the media that the quarterback room would now host individual meetings to tailor game plans based on each of their strengths.

“They can’t try to replicate Justin and what he does, from every way: the footwork he takes, the reads that makes, the throws that he attempts, he’s unreplicable,” Harbaugh said via the team's transcript. “Anybody that’s in that same quarterback room with him, you’ve got to get out of your mind what he can and does do and concentrate on doing your game.”

This was evidenced by Easton Stick's disastrous preseason performance. Stick had difficulty finding the end zone and had some costly turnovers.

"Anybody that's in that same quarterback room with him, you got to get out of your mind what he can and does do and concentrate on doing your game," Harbaugh added. "I think Easton, in particular, we're not doing him any favors by coaching him the same way as Justin Herbert. Or for Easton to try to do what Justin's doing."

The new personalized game plans for each quarterback may prove beneficial, especially as the competition for primary backup commences between Stick and newly acquired Taylor Heinicke.

Herbert is in a class of his own and it makes sense to separate coaching the star talent from his backups.

The Chargers would be doing Stick and Heinicke a disservice if they were to continue coaching them in the same way as Herbert.

Harbaugh understood this on Thursday when he said there isn't anybody like Herbert and there isn't anybody that can make an impact on offense like him.

"Bottom line … there's no other Justin Herbert, there's nobody that can do what he can do," Harbaugh stated. "Nobody else is 6-foot-6, 240 pounds that could stand in the pocket with people draped on him and still throw a ball 40 yards down the field on a dime, as the young people call it. That's just him."

Suffice to say, it's the price a team pays when they are in the possession of a rare jewel.