Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert’s 2023 season is over.
The Pro Bowl signal-caller will undergo surgery to repair a fracture to his index finger on his right throwing hand and will be placed on injured reserve, the team announced Tuesday.
Herbert fractured his index finger in the second quarter of the Chargers’ 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.
Herbert took a hit from Denver defensive lineman Zach Allen after a completion to Los Angeles tight end Donald Parham, and looked down at his right hand.
The 25-year-old headed to the locker room after the play, and was relieved by Easton Stick, who went 13-for-24 with 179 yards.
It was the first time Stick, a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft, appeared in a game since Week 7 of the 2020 season.
Herbert went 9-for-17 passing with 96 yards and an interception before leaving the game.
“It’s obviously tough,” he said on Sunday, while wearing a splint on his finger. “You feel bad for hanging the team out like that. You never want to be taken out of the game. … It is something that we’ll know more as the week goes on and if there’s any chance to play, I’ll do everything I can to be out there.”
Herbert added that he “[couldn’t] remember whether [his finger] got hit on a helmet or whether it hit on someone’s shoulder pads.”
This will mark the first time in Herbert’s career he will miss a game due to injury.
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft started 62 consecutive regular-season games since making his NFL debut in Week 2 of the 2020 season.
Head coach Brandon Staley said Monday the Chargers would do “whatever’s best for Justin long-term” amid speculation about his own job security.
The Chargers (5-8) will move forward with Stick when they face the Raiders (5-8) in Las Vegas on Thursday, as both teams are fighting for a wild-card spot in the AFC playoff race.
“Love you, 10,” the Chargers wrote in a separate post on X Tuesday. “Here’s to a speedy recovery.”
Herbert’s 2023 season ends with 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 65.1 completion percentage in 13 games.
In October, Herbert fractured the middle finger on his left hand in a game against the Las Vegas Raiders, but did not miss any time.
Herbert signed a $252.5 million, five-year extension during the offseason.
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