Los Angeles Chargers star Justin Herbert signed a five-year contract extension worth a whopping $262.5 million, making him the highest-paid NFL quarterback when it comes to average annual pay. The Charges confirmed that Herbert extended his stay in LA, but haven’t shared information about the terms of the contract.
As revealed by Ian Rapoport, Herbert will earn $100 million in the first year of the extensionwhich is a $ 20 million boost compared to his previous contract.
The 25-year-old will also get $218.7 million in guaranteed earnings over the five years of his contract, with $133.7 million fully guaranteed according to Adam Schefter. Jeremy Fowler reported that the guarantees come with options that need to be triggered a year in advance.
Herbert Has Far Exceeded Expectations
Herbert was selected as the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft. The Chargers have reached the playoffs only once with him in the team, but the quarterback has impressed coaches and fans alike and has far exceeded what was expected from him.
He made 15 starts in his rookie season and had some of the best numbers recorded by a rookie QB in NFL history. With a pass-completion ratio of 66.6% for 4,336 yards and 31 touchdowns, he was chosen as the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.
However, as impressive as his rookie stats were, his second season was even better. He completed 65.9% of his passes, hit 5,014 yards, and notched 38 touchdowns.
A Playoff Game to Forget
Despite not playing his best season in 2022, Herbert was instrumental in guiding the Chargers to the playoffs with a pass completion rate of 68.2%, 4,739 passing yards and 25 touchdowns. They led the
Jacksonville Jaguars 27-0 in the AFC Wild Card Game, but somehow managed to lose 30-31 in one of the greatest NFL comebacks in history.
The contract extension for Herbert means that the Chargers can now look forward to many more playoff appearances and might soon be considered among the favorites for the Super Bowl.
