Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is set to undergo a “battery” of tests after suffering an apparent rib injury during Thursday night’s 27–24 loss to the Chiefs, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Los Angeles coach Brandon Staley said that Herbert underwent X-rays on his chest following the game, which are believed to have come back negative, per Rapoport. However, there is no definitive answer on the extent of the injury as of Friday morning, prompting the Chargers to conduct further testing throughout the day.
“A couple of important things here: just because his X-rays are negative, if that is the case, doesn’t mean he’s out of the woods,” Rapoport said on NFL Network Friday morning. “There is rib cartilage issues, which we’ve seen can actually be more painful. There’s internal injuries, which is obviously the most scary, and we’re not going to know until he goes through a battery of tests today.”
Herbert battled through noticeable pain after taking a hit to his midsection on a tackle by Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna with just over five minutes remaining. After retreating to the sideline for just one play, the 24-year-old quarterback returned to the field and finished the game.
Even after the injury appeared to take place, Herbert was remarkably effective. He threw a late touchdown pass to wide receiver Joshua Palmer and did his best to lead Los Angeles back from a 10-point deficit in the closing minutes. The third-year signal-caller ultimately came up just short, but finished the game 33-of-48 for 334 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
“It was a tough game,” Staley said after the loss, per NFL Network’s Bridget Condon. “You’re not going to see a quarterback in any level of football play tougher. … There’s nobody that can do what he can do.”
Depending on the severity of the injury, Herbert will have a chance to return in Week 3 after the Chargers have a few extra days off. Los Angeles won’t play again until it faces the Jaguars on Sept. 25 at 4:05 p.m. ET, giving the star quarterback a bit of extra time to rest up before attempting to get back on the field.
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