The Los Angeles Chargers earned a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 13, but it came at a cost.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered an injury to his left hand early in the game. The 27-year-old was eventually able to return to the game while wearing a heavily padded glove on his non-throwing hand.
Herbert finished the day without issue, completing 15-of-20 passes for 151 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.
However, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters following the game Herbert had suffered a fracture in his left hand that would require surgery. That brought into question the star quarterback’s status moving forward.
Here’s what to know about Herbert’s injury and how long it might keep him out of action.
How long is Justin Herbert out?
‘My understanding is the plan is for Justin Herbert to play on Monday after surgery on his hand,’ Rapoport reports.
Rapoport’s reporting aligns with what Herbert told reporters during his postgame news conference Sunday. The 27-year-old quarterback said doctors were ‘very hopeful’ the injury would not cause him to miss any time.
‘I’m treating it as if I’m playing on Monday,’ Herbert said, per USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon. ‘I think they’re very hopeful for that. I think that’s just something that we’ll see tomorrow and we’ll get a feel for. But I think they were really hopeful. So that’s always a good thing.’
Harbaugh told reporters during a postgame news conference the quarterback had suffered a fracture in his left hand and would have a procedure to address the injury on Monday, Dec. 1.
Harbaugh didn’t provide a timetable for Herbert to return to action. The veteran coach also did not rule him out for Los Angeles’ ‘Monday Night Football’ game against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 14.
The Chargers (8-4) will enter Week 14 as the top wild-card team in the AFC. However, they are only a game ahead of the first team out of the AFC playoff picture – the Houston Texans (7-5) – so their standing could quickly change.
It isn’t clear whether that reality will impact Herbert’s timeline to return or if the Chargers will be content to see if their backup quarterbacks can carry them until Herbert is fully healthy.
Who is the Chargers backup QB?
Lance was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers. He spent the first two-plus seasons of his career with the 49ers, playing sparingly due to injuries before being traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
Lance has a 2-3 record across five career starts and has completed 56.1% of his passes for 1,144 yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. He has also added 288 yards and a touchdown on 69 career carries.
Chargers QB depth chart
The Chargers have three quarterbacks in their organization at present. Below is the pecking order within the unit:
- Justin Herbert
- Trey Lance
- DJ Uiagalelei (practice squad)
Uiagalelei signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2025 NFL Draft. The 24-year-old played collegiately at Clemson, Oregon State and Florida State before showing well enough in the preseason to earn a practice squad spot with Los Angeles.
