Every NFL quarterback learns to live under the microscope. For Justin Herbert, though, the constant glare has always been unwelcome. The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback is widely admired for his intelligence, precision, and stoic leadership—but not for seeking out cameras or headlines. In fact, Herbert has built a reputation for subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, disdain toward the media attention that follows him.
Over the years, there have been quiet moments that speak volumes. He once bristled at being filmed in the locker room, clearly uncomfortable with the intrusion. And before the Chargers’ Monday Night Football clash with the Las Vegas Raiders, Herbert slipped a quick middle finger into his pregame walk when cameras chronicled his arrival. The official NFL social media account quickly deleted the clip, but not before fans caught the gesture.
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It wasn’t the first time. Earlier this year, Herbert pulled a similar stunt at Chargers media day, flashing the same signal toward a group of reporters waiting for him between obligations. As one observer put it, “This is an intentional middle finger if I have ever seen one.”
Herbert’s relationship with the media isn’t outright hostile, but it’s far from warm. He’s reserved by nature, more focused on execution than exposure. To some fans, these gestures are a refreshing peek into his personality. To others, they’ll inevitably become fodder for overblown narratives about his leadership or temperament.
And yet, Herbert’s actions on the field tell the truer story. In the season opener against Kansas City in Brazil, he threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns, added 32 rushing yards, and showed flashes of swagger rarely seen from him before. Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic called his late-game flourish—flexing after a first-down run—“a good omen” for a quarterback stepping into a more confident persona.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh seems to be leaning into it. He’s nicknamed Herbert “Beast,” celebrating the balance between intellect and physicality. “That huge hit on Justin, the kind of hit that would have killed a lesser man…our guy gets right back in the huddle and it’s third-and-14 and hits Quentin Johnston. It’s pretty impressive,” Harbaugh said after the Chiefs game.
For Herbert, the gestures toward cameras may be his own form of control, a small rebellion against a spotlight he never wanted. But paired with his emerging swagger on the field, they also hint at a quarterback growing more comfortable showing who he is—both to his teammates and to the world.
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