Justin Herbert got a little too close for comfort on Monday, and for a split second, a routine Chargers practice looked like it could turn into a disaster.
During a dropback drill, a photographer sprinted straight into Herbert’s path. ESPN’s Kris Rhim captured the moment on video, and Herbert managed to plant just in time to avoid a collision. The two came within inches of crashing into each other at full speed, a near-miss that could have gone badly for both.
It was the kind of scare the Chargers could do without this late in the preseason. Herbert has already had to manage real injury issues over the past year, including the broken hand he suffered in Week 13 last season, which limited him down the stretch. With the regular season only days away, any new setback would have been a major problem for Los Angeles.
The clip quickly made the rounds online, and fans didn’t hold back in their reactions. One wrote, “Now I get why he be shoving cameramen out the way when he’s running onto the field,” while another said, “This should never happen at the NFL level.
Everyone in the building understands the value of your starting QB. Come on man, tighten up,” A third fan added, “Welp that’s one way to lose your job,”
This wasn’t Herbert’s first run-in with sideline media, either. He also collided with a cameraman during a practice last September, drawing the same kind of criticism from fans.
The Chargers have had some lighter moments around Herbert this preseason. The team recently signed his younger brother Patrick off waivers, bringing the two back together for the first time since their Oregon days. Herbert has also been seen around the practice facility this summer with fiancée Madison Beer.
Monday’s scare didn’t turn into anything worse, but it was close enough to remind everyone how quickly a harmless drill can go sideways. With Week 1 approaching, the Chargers and the people filming them would probably both prefer a little more space.
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