The Los Angeles Chargers placed quarterback Justin Herbert on injured reserve on Thursday due to a foot injury after being advised to do so by the league.
According to the team, other than the league’s directives, nothing has changed since Herbert practiced on Wednesday and spoke to the media after practice. Herbert was listed as a full participant at Wednesday’s practice.
Herbert missed most of training camp due to a plantar fascia injury in his right foot, the team said. Herbert missed his first practice on Aug. 1. He wore a walking boot for two weeks before gradually returning to play. Herbert returned to practice on Aug. 19. Two days later, he had one of the best practices of his Chargers career.
Herbert said Wednesday his plantar fascia is fully healed, but added that he will need to rest his foot to some extent throughout the season.
“It’s not really on my mind right now,” Herbert said. “It’s one of those things that if you take care of it, you do a good job of it, whether it’s taking care of the rehab, putting ice on it, doing everything you can before and after practice so you don’t have to deal with it later. As long as we take care of it, I think we’ll be fine.”
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It was Herbert’s first public statement since the team announced the injury in a statement.
Herbert injured his plantar fascia, the arched ligament in the foot that connects the heel to the big toe, according to the Chargers. Herbert said the injury did not occur at a specific time. He said the pain he began feeling “probably started before” the start of training camp on July 24.
“It was more of an accumulation,” he said.
Herbert added: “That’s the hard part I told (the training staff). I didn’t really know when or what happened. But we’ve gotten better, so we’ve gotten through it and are looking forward.”
Herbert has had to deal with injuries before in his career. In Week 2 of 2022, Herbert broke his rib cartilage in a game against the Chiefs. He struggled with that for the rest of the season.
Herbert said this foot injury was “not as bad as” the rib injury in 2022.
“I could have battled through it,” Herbert said of the foot injury. “I could have kept playing. But (the training staff) just talked about not having to worry about it anymore if it heals and gets better in the two weeks. So I think I was happy with the plan. We all agreed. And as long as I do everything I can treatment-wise, it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Herbert is scheduled to start Sunday in the Chargers’ season opener against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.
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