LOS ANGELES US News: Justin Herbert delivered another trademark gritty performance Sunday, throwing for two touchdowns and leading the Los Angeles Chargers to a commanding 31-14 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. But the win came at a cost: the star quarterback suffered a fracture in his non-throwing left hand and is scheduled for a surgical procedure Monday, head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed after the game.
The injury occurred early in the first quarter when Herbert scrambled toward the goal line on a designed run. Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn tackled him low, and as the two hit the turf, Chinn’s helmet struck Herbert’s left hand squarely. The 27-year-old quarterback stayed in to complete the drive, firing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston on the very next play, but he headed to the locker room shortly afterward for evaluation of his hand, wrist, and forearm.
Backup Trey Lance entered briefly and managed a field-goal drive while Herbert was sidelined. Listed as questionable to return, Herbert eventually jogged back onto the field wearing a padded glove and reclaimed his spot under center. He finished the afternoon 15 of 20 for 151 yards and two scores, with his only blemish a third-quarter interception on a tipped pass in the red zone.
“He has a break in the back of the hand, the ring finger,” Harbaugh told reporters in his postgame press conference. “He’s going to have a procedure tomorrow to address it.”
The quick move to surgery underscores the Chargers’ desire to get their franchise quarterback healed as fast as possible with a demanding closing stretch ahead. Los Angeles, now 8-4 and riding a four-wins-in-five-games surge, faces the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football next week, followed by matchups against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos.
This is not Herbert’s first rodeo with a broken finger on his left hand. In Week 4 of the 2023 season, coincidentally also against Las Vegas, he fractured the index finger on the same hand, played through it with a splint, and never missed a start until a separate season-ending injury to his throwing hand in December.
Known league-wide for his durability and toughness, Herbert has taken 164 sacks over the past three seasons, more than any quarterback in football. If past performance is any indication, he will push aggressively to return as soon as medically cleared.
For now, the Chargers are preparing for every scenario, with Lance ready to step in if Herbert’s recovery timeline extends. Updates on the quarterback’s status are expected early this week following Monday’s procedure.
