EL SEGUNDO — The Chargers made it official Friday. Quarterback Justin Herbert’s sprained left ankle and injured left thigh were not serious enough to keep him on the final injury report of the week. In other words, he’s sound enough to play Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Herbert’s teammates in the locker room had zero doubt that he would suit up and play after he went from sitting out Wednesday’s practice to participating on a limited basis on Thursday to going full speed Friday. Herbert has started all 13 of the Chargers’ games so far this season.
Defensive lineman Morgan Fox smiled and then grew serious when asked what it might take to keep Herbert from playing in a game. At least, it seemed like Fox was serious, anyway.
“You’d have to kill him,” Fox said without hesitation.
Outside linebacker Joey Bosa laughed when asked the same question about Herbert.
“Coach (Jim) Harbaugh says he’s the toughest quarterback to ever play the game, so I think you could make an argument there,” Bosa said. “You always feel like you have a shot when he’s out there, so just hoping he feels good. He had a good week of practice. You have the utmost confidence when he’s handling the offense.”
Said Harbaugh: “Tough as they come. He’s got the strength of 10 men.”
Herbert has had a string of injuries in recent seasons, starting with fractured rib cartilage suffered against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 2 of the 2022 season. He was sidelined for one snap, but didn’t miss a game and led the Chargers to a late-season rally that propelled them to an AFC wild-card berth.
Last season, Herbert suffered a fractured right index finger that sidelined for the final four games of the season as the Chargers limped to a 5-12 record that prompted changes to the coaching and general manager positions. Herbert might have played through the injury, but he simply couldn’t control the ball.
The Chargers were 0-4 without Herbert to close the 2023 season.
This season, he suffered a plantar fascia injury in his right foot that sidelined him for most of training camp. He then sprained his right ankle during the Chargers’ victory over the Carolina Panthers in Week 2 and then aggravated it during their loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3.
Both injuries forced him to wear a walking boot.
Herbert’s latest injuries happened during the first half of their 19-17 loss to the Chiefs this past Sunday night. Herbert said he injured his ankle on a 7-yard scramble during the Chargers’ first possession of the game. He said he hurt his thigh during a collision with Kansas City’s Nick Bolton in the second quarter.
Herbert sat out one play after hurting his thigh and then returned to the game.
Of the two injuries, he said the sprained ankle was the more debilitating.
“I would say this one is probably not as severe,” Herbert said earlier this week when asked to compare the pain from his left ankle sprain to the pain from the right ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season. “It’s painful enough to miss a practice, but I felt like I’ve been able to move around a lot better than I did after Carolina where I was put in a boot. I’m farther along this week.”
INJURY REPORT
The Chargers ruled tight end Will Dissly (shoulder) and wide receiver Jalen Reagor (finger) out of Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. Wide receiver Ladd McConkey (knee/shoulder) and linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) were listed as questionable to play against the Buccaneers.
Herbert, Bosa (hip), safety Tony Jefferson (hamstring), outside linebacker Khalil Mack (rest) and left guard Trey Pipkins III (personal) dropped off the injury report after they were full participants in Friday’s practice. Mack, an 11-year pro, almost always gets an extra day of rest during the week.