Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert to Miss Rest of 2023 Season

Another franchise quarterback is out of action. According to multiple reports, Los Angeles Chargers QB Justin Herbert will miss the remainder of the 2023 season as he's having surgery to repair the broken index finger on his right (throwing) hand. The Chargers placed Herbert on injured reserve, confirming that he will miss the remaining games of the regular season. 

Herbert suffered the injury on Sunday when the Chargers took on the Denver Broncos. With the injury, Herbert will miss a start for the first time in his four-year career. On Monday, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley spoke to reporters and said that backup QB Easton Stick will be ready to go if Herbert is inactive. 

"Mechanically, throwing the football with accuracy, I think that he has really developed that sense of, 'Hey, this is what my base needs to be, this is where my shoulders need to be.' Consistency with his stroke. I think that you saw that last night," Staley said, per the Chargers' official website. "I thought that you saw him really drive the football — throw it with touch, really drive it on some of those in-breaks. There was a tight third-down throw to Keenan [Allen] in a bunch of traffic that I thought was really good. That fourth down to Keenan on the choice [route], he really ripped that, gave him a chance. I think that he has really improved mechanically."

Despite the Chargers' record (5-8), Herbert was having a solid 2023 season, completing 65.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions with a 93.2 passer rating. The Chargers selected Herbert No. 6 overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, and he finished his rookie season with 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and 10 interceptions with a 98.3 passer rating. His play in 2020 led to him being named Offensive Rookie of the Year. 

In 2021, Herbert was named to his first Pro Bowl after throwing for 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns with a 97.7 passer rating. Last year, Herbert finished ninth in MVP voting after throwing for 4,739 yards and 25 touchdowns with a 93.2 passer rating. Herbert is one of the few top quarterbacks who suffered major injuries this season. Other notable quarterbacks who are out of the year are Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals and Deshaun Watson of the Cleveland Browns. Aaron Rodgers of the New York Jets tore his Achilles in September but recently returned to practice and could play at the end of the month.