Why Los Angeles Chargers' Justin Herbert Not Dwelling On Playoff Loss

“If I spend any more time worrying or focusing on a loss like that, I would be doing a disservice to my teammates,” Herbert said. “Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted it to, like I said at the end of the year, but you gotta move on.”

The Chargers have made the playoffs twice since the 2020 NFL season, but they have not made it past the Wild Card round. No matter how the regular season goes, the postseason remains the team's weakness.

Despite the way the year ended for the Chargers, it was a strong first season under coach Jim Harbaugh. Los Angeles finished the season with an 11-6 record, No. 2 in the AFC West. Herbert had a strong performance in the regular season, finishing with 3,870 yards and 23 touchdowns. He only threw three interceptions the entire regular season.

Instead of fixating on what went wrong during the playoff loss, Herbert and the Chargers are looking towards improving ahead of the 2025 season.

Wide receiver Ladd McConkey was a crucial addition to the team last season and as he enters year two, he and Herbert are on pace to create an even stronger connection. The Chargers have also made offseason moves to help Herbert and the offense improve. 

In the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Chargers selected Ole Miss wide receiver Tre Harris. Harris led the Rebels in 2025 with 1,030 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. The team will also have wide receivers Quentin Johnston and Mike Williams in 2025 as well as depth pieces selected later in the draft.

The team also added offensive line help in free agency, signing reigning Super Bowl champion offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. The addition of Becton can also help with run blocking, as the Chargers only rushed for 50 total yards in the playoff game.

The Chargers signed running back Najee Harris, which should help take the load off Herbert. In addition to Harris, the Chargers drafted North Carolina running back Omarion Hampton. Getting a solid run game going will help open up the offense, making it easier on the former Oregon Ducks quarterback.

Instead of dwelling on the past, Herbert is focused on the 2025 NFL season. The AFC West is a tough division, and Los Angeles will have to start the season strong to compete. Despite the loss, Harbaugh has nothing but confidence in his quarterback and wants to do everything he can as a coach to get Herbert into the Hall of Fame.

"I woke up the other day and said, 'I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. Must get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame," Harbaugh said on the Rich Eisen Show. "It's one of those things you wake up at 3:30, 4 in the morning. Sometimes, that's when your best ideas come."

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