Herbert has cartilage fracture in ribs
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a fractured cartilage in a rib during Thursday night’s 27-24 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and his condition will go day by day, head coach Brandon Staley reported Friday.
“The CT scan confirmed it,” Brandon Staley began about Justin Herbert’s diagnosis, adding that it was “good news.”
“We’ll know a lot more about practice and things like that on Wednesday,” Staley advanced. “I’m going to take the weekend and start Monday, Tuesday to find out a lot more.”
The Chargers (1-1) have nine days before playing in Week 3 against the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-1) at SoFi Stadium.
“It will come down to comfort,” Staley stressed about Justin Herbert’s ability to return. “It’s such a rotational position, we’ll just have to make sure he’s comfortable, and we won’t know more about how he feels until later in the week.”
With 5 minutes, 9 seconds remaining in Thursday night’s game, Chiefs defensive wing Mike Danna hit Herbert and left him lying on the field for an extended period.
Justin Herbert missed a play before returning, then was crushed between Chiefs quarterbacks Frank Clark and George Karlaftis, but remained in the game.
Brandon Staley recalled that there was a discussion with the medical staff and Justin Herbert before he returned.
“We have full confidence in each other, and he’ll tell me, he’ll show me, and the doctors will tell me if this isn’t something that should happen,” Staley said.
On the Chargers’ final offensive possession with 2:11 remaining, Herbert began running to his right outside the pocket in apparent pain before throwing a short pass. On the next play, Justin Herbert completed a 35-yard dart over the middle to receiver DeAndre Carter, and several plays later completed a 7-yard pass to Joshua Palmer for a touchdown to bring the game within one possession, 27-24.
“It’s soccer and you’re going to have some moments where you’re going to feel that way and that’s not unique to the quarterback position,” Staley reflected on Herbert playing through pain.
Justin Herbert, who won his first two games at Arrowhead Stadium entering Thursday, finished with 334 yards through the air and three touchdowns, but also threw an interception that was returned 99 yards to the diagonals to give the Chiefs the lead with 10:29 remaining.
The Chargers offensive line also appeared to have avoided serious injury despite center Corey Linsley and right tackle Trey Pipkins leaving the game.
Corey Linsley suffered a knee injury but “just had to get an injection to calm it down,” Staley reported, adding that the All-Pro center should return to practice “sometime next week.”
Trey Pipkins suffered a foot sprain and will be day-to-day.
