Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is frequently scrutinized by certain media members for his leadership style and lack of wins as an NFL starter. The latter is laughable, as any fan with a search engine and five minutes of patience would find the losses are rarely solely Herbert's fault. The former has followed him since the pre-draft process at Oregon, where unnamed analysts were not sure his quieter demeanor would translate to true NFL leadership.
Well, true to his responsibilities as a blocker and protector of his quarterback, left tackle Rashawn Slater pushed back against that narrative. In an interview with Kay Adams at the annual Offensive Line Masterminds seminar, Slater had this to say:
I think it's funny that everyone who calls Justin a quiet leader isn't actually on the team. They have no idea what his leadership is like. I think he gets riled up, he talks s***, he's vocal. He's all those things. He's a great leader. I think people see more than they hear. The way he conducts his business, the way he goes about it, he's always been a great leader.
Herbert is undoubtedly not the vocal presence Philip Rivers was; frankly, no one is. That does not mean he cannot be a leader, and everything No. 10 has shown proves otherwise.
A poor leader does not play through cracked ribs for months. They do not take responsibility during losses when 38 points of offense were not enough to secure a win because the defense allowed 41. They are not beloved by their teammates, coaches, and fans.
The Herbert discourse is exhausting, and it will not end so long as making false statements drives clicks and views. May Jim Harbaugh unleash a quarterback and an obsession with winning this organization has not seen before. The 2024 season cannot start fast enough.
