Imagine being an aspiring football player who joins a college football team, makes a name for himself, and then goes on to dominate the NFL. But even if you are a superstar in the NFL, you will never forget your former teams. And the same applies to Justin Herbert. For those who missed it, the QB recently reacted to his previous team, the Oregon Ducks, who, by the way, have attained a remarkable feat. But it appears that Herbert is both thrilled and sad about it. Wait, what?

Actually, the Rose Bowl Game is a major thing for any team. It is recognized as a historical game that happens each year after a parade. And Justin Herbert is overjoyed that his former squad has done an excellent job of reaching there. The QB even complimented HC Dan Lanning and explained his excellent role in the team. Herbert explained, “I think it’s such a huge opportunity for those guys and they’ve definitely earned it. To be able to watch Oregon dominate all year like that, the way they go about their business Lanning has done an incredible job there.”

While it is a great achievement for the Ducks, the QB is not looking forward to watching the Rose Bowl game live. But why? Well, in this case, duty comes first. And Herbert finds himself in the same circumstance. The quarterback has detailed how the Chargers‘ practice will keep him busy when the Rose Bowl game will be taking place. So, when exactly is the game?

For those who missed, the Oregon Ducks will face the Ohio State Buckeyes on January 2, 2025, in California. At the time, the NFL’s regular season will be nearing its conclusion, with week 18 underway. This means that Justin Herbert will be preoccupied with his team’s preparations to face the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Chargers vs The Raiders will be played in Las Vegas, which is not too far from California. But for Herbert, You know what they say, ‘so close yet too far.‘ This decision not to attend his old team’s big game demonstrates how committed Justin Herbert is this season. And Jim Harbaugh believes the same way, as the head coach recently compared the quarterback to himself. But, what did he say?

Jim Harbaugh wanted to be like Justin Herbert when he was younger

Looks like the Chargers’ head coach is too pleased with his quarterback. We’ve seen Harbaugh appreciate the QB many times before, but this is something no one expected. Following their Week 16 victory over the Broncos, Harbaugh noted that he wishes he could be more like Justin Herbert. This would have advanced his career and made him a famous player (which he already is).

The HC explained, “I guess the first thing that hit me was, I wish I would’ve treated those situations like that when I was a player…..That kind of filled it in for me. That’s why he is who he is. I wish I had treated it more like that when I played. Now it’s good to have that example and be able to encourage others to do the same. That, ‘Let it rip’ kind of mentality. Which I love.”

Everyone has seen Justin Herbert complete 278 of his 430 throws this year. This gave him a success percentage of 64.7, with 3,243 yards and 18 touchdowns. These are simply great numbers, but on top of all consider this: in nearly 15 games, the man has only three interceptions, which is quite admirable.

While the Chargers are on their way to the playoffs, it will be interesting to see if they can advance to the finals. Stay tuned to find out, and share your predictions in the comments below.