As a team, the Bolts battled through plenty of adversity this year to secure their postseason spot.
But it has been a trying season for Herbert, too, who dealt with torn rib cartilage after Week 2, injuries to key skill position players and six different starting line combinations in front of him.
He paused for a second when asked how mentally taxing this season has been on him.
“There were a couple times where you lose guys to injuries, and it just wasn’t working for us,” Herbert said.
Those closest to Herbert have seen him evolve with his mental stamina as the weeks have passed.
“You have to be mentally tough as an NFL quarterback. That’s one of the prerequisites of it,” said Chargers backup quarterback Chase Daniel, who is a dozen years older than Herbert. “He’s dealt with injuries and other things, so him just being steady with the ebbs and flows of the year.
“There’s no one in this locker room that works harder than him,” Daniel added.
Daniel said he’s also seen — in a good way — a different version of Herbert this season.
Herbert has come out of his shell a bit, whether that’s emphatically spiking a ball in the postgame locker room after a win over the Dolphins or by being a regular at team-wide dinners.
“He’s really taken ownership of the offense, but also the team, as well,” Daniel said. “Just his leadership and what he’s been able to do, not only on the field but off the field as well.
“He’s putting himself out there a lot more. He might be a little more introverted [than most],” Daniel added with a quick smile. “But he’s really been awesome this year, just great to be around.”
As the final two weeks of the 2022 season loom, Herbert is on pace for the lowest touchdown total of his career. Not that he cares.
In the most trying season of his young season — both physically and mentally — the 24-year-old has once again proven that he’s a franchise quarterback.
Now he can add playoff quarterback to that sparkling resumé, too.
“It’s important for a quarterback,…
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