Chargers News: Khalil Mack Praises His QB's Inspiring Team Presence

Stepping up on and off the field.

Looking to avenge an embarrassing playoff loss from last year, the Chargers are doing all they can to buck the trend of their recent history. 

One of these players is QB Justin Herbert, who has put his teammates on notice for his contributions to rallying the troops. 

Chargers edge Khalil Mack on Justin Herbert: "He's coming around as a leader. He's a lot more vocal. We wear him in the locker room now, see him smiling a lot more."

— Lindsey Thiry (@LindseyThiry) August 17, 2023

It's been hard to find reasons to smile for Herbert in the recent past as his 2021 season ended on the final game of the regular season in heartbreaking fashion. 

Needing a third down stop from his defense after engineering not one but two impossible touchdown drives in the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Raiders, the Bolts let up a first down. 

Praying for a tie that would've sent both teams to the postseason, the Raiders kicked a game-winning field goal and played the Bengals in the Wild Card game while LA sat from the couch and watched. 

Undeterred, Brandon Staley's crew came into 2022 and clinched a playoff spot with a win against Indianapolis on a Monday night. 

Building a substantial lead against the Jaguars after a dominant first two quarters on both sides of the ball, things collapsed in unfathomable fashion in a true tale of two halves. 

Herbert couldn't find his footing alongside the rest of the office while the defense equally surrendered points at the same rate the scoring drought commenced. 

With a new contract and a new offensive coordinator, Herbert has many reasons to smile in a year clearly geared to his strengths. 

Wanting to shed any narratives about being a "social media quarterback" from clueless detractors and finally get this team over the hump, the former Duck is poised for another big year. 

It'll be up to him, and the rest of the Bolts to make good on such promises, but Herbert's new look is a welcome sight to see as a start to such a goal.