Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh has declared his strong ambition to help quarterback Justin Herbert reach the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Harbaugh emphasized the necessity of surrounding Herbert with talented players to elevate his chances for long-term success and ultimate recognition.
Harbaugh reflected on how this goal came sharply into focus during a quiet early morning moment, stating,
“I woke the other day and said, ‘I got to get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame,’”
according to Fox Sports. He continued,
“Must get Justin Herbert to the Hall of Fame. It’s just one of those things you wake up at 3:30, 4 in the morning. Sometimes, that’s when your best ideas come. You kind of process that, and that would mean winning a couple Super Bowls — and a lot of people would benefit from that. So, that’s a worthy goal. And I think it’s necessary that we get him surrounded with as many good football players to his level as possible.”
Justin Herbert’s Playoff Challenges and Mindset
Despite Herbert’s impressive talent and early career achievements, he has struggled to advance in the postseason, with both of his playoff appearances ending in defeat. The Chargers’ inability to break through in the playoffs remains a key hurdle in his journey toward Hall of Fame status.
After the Chargers’ loss to the Houston Texans last season, Herbert addressed the disappointment by focusing on learning from the defeat rather than dwelling on it. He explained,
“It’s just like every other loss. You take a look at what you did wrong, what you did right, and you try and improve. And if I took any more time worrying about or focusing on the loss, I’d be doing a disservice to my teammates. Obviously, it didn’t go the way we wanted, but we’ve got to move on. You’ve got to take a look at what you did wrong. Be honest with yourself, be critical. But you can’t let it take up too much of your time.”
Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman’s Confidence in Herbert’s Growth
Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman expressed strong confidence that Herbert will continue to improve significantly as he has now fully adjusted to the team’s offensive scheme. Having dealt with three different offensive systems in three years, Herbert’s familiarity with the current offense is expected to allow him to excel.
Roman noted,
“He can go out and run the practice. He knows this offense inside and out now. Last year at this time, it was his third offense in three years, so that was a challenge. … We understand who we are now, way different than we did last year.”
Kansas City Chiefs Move Kingsley Suamataia to Guard
While the Chargers focus on Herbert’s development, the Kansas City Chiefs are making positional adjustments on their offensive line. Rookie offensive lineman Kingsley Suamataia is transitioning from left tackle to guard after starting last season at left tackle. Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck praised Suamataia’s versatility and physical strength, praising his potential impact at the guard position.
Heck said,
“I mean, Kingsley (Suamataia) is a guy that has great versatility. I think he can do phenomenal in their guard. We’re still getting him a little bit of tackle work. I think he can play left tackle, right tackle in this league, either guard; he’s another guy that’s super low, very strong, and gives us a good, powerful presence inside, and I think he’s having fun with it.”
Andy Heck further highlighted Suamataia’s growing skills, adding,
“I think what makes him well-suited to play guard is his size and strength. He really likes some guys who can move people in there at that spot. I think he can do that or firm up the pocket until he doesn’t want him to firm that pocket at three yards. So his strength is that he’s just growing as a football player, whether at guard or tackle, simply by being around that, gaining experience, knowing our language that much better, knowing defense that much better, just experience.”
Raiders’ Jeremy Chinn Embraces Versatile Defensive Role
In Las Vegas, Raiders defensive back Jeremy Chinn is preparing to take on multiple defensive roles, a challenge he welcomes. Chinn explained that adjusting to various responsibilities has been part of his approach since his rookie season.
“I think it started early on in my rookie season,”
Chinn said via ESPN.
“Just being in a situation where I was asked to do a lot of certain things and just kind of made my mindset like, this is the life of the NFL, like, there’s going to be a lot of different roles, a lot of different roles, a lot of different responsibilities. So I just kind of took that and rode with it for the rest of my career.”
Raiders Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham Praises Chinn’s Leadership
Raiders defensive coordinator Patrick Graham expressed high regard for Chinn’s leadership qualities and his dedication to learning the team’s defensive system. Graham stressed the importance of Chinn filling the gap left by departed defensive back Tre’Von Moehrig.
Graham said,
“Just in terms of his leadership, he’s very sure of himself because he puts in the work. And he’s been a sponge in terms of learning how we want to do things, and then all the physical attributes, but all 32 teams know about that. The speed, the size, physicality, ability to tackle and nose for the ball. It’s all been positive there.”
Implications for the Chargers and Justin Herbert’s Future
Jim Harbaugh’s clear vision of guiding Justin Herbert toward Hall of Fame recognition underlines the urgency to build a strong supporting cast around the young quarterback. While Herbert has shown remarkable promise, overcoming postseason challenges is essential to reaching the highest career milestones.
With offensive coordinator Greg Roman confident in Herbert’s grasp of the Chargers’ system, and with plans to surround him with more impactful teammates, the Chargers are positioning themselves for both immediate and sustained success. The next few seasons will be critical in determining whether Herbert can fulfill Harbaugh’s ambitious goal of crafting a Hall of Fame legacy.