Justin Herbert is walking into 2026 with a real shot to turn long-running buzz into an actual MVP case.
That’s a different place than he’s usually been in. For much of his career, the talk around Herbert has been about what he can do in theory, not what he’s about to do in a season that puts him squarely in the league’s top tier. This time, the setup looks a lot more convincing.
The Chargers quarterback is heading into his seventh NFL season with plenty of attention already building around him. Multiple sportsbooks have Herbert around +1000 to win the 2026 NFL MVP, which puts him right in the mix with the sport’s biggest names. Even some national media voices are starting to buy in on the idea that this could be the year Herbert pushes all the way into the award race.
And the case is easy to understand.
Herbert has never lacked the arm talent or the physical tools. He’s been one of the most gifted players on the Chargers roster for years, capable of making throws that only a small handful of quarterbacks in the league can pull off. The question has always been less about ability and more about whether the team around him could help that ability turn into a season worthy of MVP consideration.
That part may finally be changing.
Los Angeles brought in Mike McDaniel to run the offense, giving Herbert a new coordinator who should bring more creativity to the table. The expectation is that McDaniel’s system will open up more chances for Herbert to make plays while also making things easier on him. On top of that, the Chargers have put real resources into improving the talent around their quarterback.
That matters, because MVP voting is never just about pretty throws and big numbers. A quarterback usually has to be at the center of real team success to get there.
Herbert has a path to that kind of season now. Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers have won 11 games in each of his first two seasons, and Los Angeles enters 2026 with legitimate expectations of hanging around the top of the AFC. If the Chargers take another step and Herbert is the engine behind it, the award chatter is going to get louder fast.
There’s also the simple fact that the expectation is starting to build around him.
That doesn’t make the road any easier. Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes are all still part of the conversation, and Herbert can’t just be solid. He likely needs one of the best seasons of his career, along with one of the best records in the AFC, to break through.
But that’s what makes this season so intriguing.
For years, the question has been whether Herbert would finally get the chance to take the next step. With a new offensive system, more help around him and a team that looks ready to compete, 2026 may be the season that gives him that answer.
If the Chargers win and Herbert produces the kind of numbers everyone already knows he can, there’s a strong case for putting him right at the center of the MVP discussion.
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