Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert missed practice again on Tuesday.
It marked the second time this offseason Herbert has missed a voluntary workout with the media watching. ESPN’s Kris Rhim noted Tuesday that the QB wasn’t at the voluntary practice open to the media last week.
Is Justin Herbert missing early offseason practices a big deal?
Now, this is the voluntary portion of the Chargers’ offseason program. L.A.’s mandatory minicamp is scheduled for June 16-18. The team’s training camp will begin later this summer.
If Herbert missed the mandatory portion of the offseason program, that would be a much bigger deal. The fact that it’s voluntary lessens potential concerns. He also attended offseason workouts in April.
Perhaps Herbert is vacationing with girlfriend, singer-songwriter Madison Beer. The QB recently appeared in her music video for “Lovergirl,” which premiered May 7.
Whether he’s spending time with Beer or not, Herbert’s absence shouldn’t be disregarded. The Athletic’s Daniel Popper noted in a story published Wednesday that this is “uncharacteristic” for the 28-year-old QB.
Popper reported that new Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel wasn’t at practice Tuesday because he was attending the NFL’s Accelerator Program (designed to help people from underrepresented groups secure head-coaching and front-office opportunities) in Orlando, Fla. It’s possible that he and head coach Jim Harbaugh agreed to give Herbert a day off. He could use a few after taking a career-high 54 sacks in 16 games in 2025.
The Chargers hold their first round of OTAs on May 26-27. The May 27 session is open to the media. If Herbert attends, all questions about his previous absences will disappear.
Until then, this situation does bear watching. It shouldn’t ring alarm bells, but it’s a little odd that the franchise QB is suddenly missing practices, especially one that’s learning a new offense. One would think he wants to be at the facility as much as possible to get a grasp on the fresh playbook.