 late switch by Herbert and it is hard. Herbert is unbelievable. Great year of course you want to go deep into the playoffs of course you'll be playing in the Super Bowl but as a Chargers stand and a fan the amount of pressure not just on yourself but the weight of this entire franchise to get that first playoff birth how unburdening Justin did that feel. You know I thought it was a great opportunity for us to be able to get there and we dealt with our fair share of adversity this year and injuries you know tight losses and things like that but for us to be able to get there I thought that was a huge step for us unfortunately it didn't go our way we would have loved to have gone farther in the playoffs but I know that we've got the guys we've got the coaching staff to be able to figure that out in the future so I'm really looking forward to this off season. So what's like one specific thing that you personally are working on to get further next year? Yep I think it starts with learning this new offense you know we just recently hired Calamore you know really excited to get to work with him got to learn all about what he wants what he does and so this offense will be big to pick up these next couple of weeks so really looking forward to being able to do that. What have the conversations with Moore been like so far? You know it's been great we kind of grew up in a similar area he's from Washington and so grew up watching him play at Boise State talked about that talked about you know where he's been where he's coached where he's played as well and so we've got so much respect for him as a coach as a player and just really excited to get to work with him. I know you don't have the playbook or any of that down but you guys have had conversations you said that you're excited about it what do you think is going to be different now that Calamore is in the building? That's a good question you know I think that's something that remains to be seen you know he's obviously got the respect of the NFL haven't seen the playbook yet and so that's something that we'll get into but love the tempo that they play with you know they're able to get guys open and get the ball going. Does a good job as he always does working the progressions but here you see they've wrapped up right as he releases it and he comes down and Herbert needs some help in getting up. Look out, only his ribcage and uh-oh. Now the season's over so we can be honest about things how much did it impact your play out there? You know I think the ribs early on were pretty tough you know it's kind of a discomfort that I had to deal with for you know six or seven weeks but as that got better time healed. Everyone I talk to about you specifically says toughness is your defining characteristic is toughness your defining characteristic as a quarterback. I'd like to think so you know I think that as a quarterback and as a teammate you need to be able to put everything on the line and even when you don't feel great and when you don't want to play and you don't want to go to practice you need to be able to go out there and give your best because your teammates deserve that the team the fans that follow the team they deserve that and so for me it was important to be out there and to go play and give everything I had and you know I think my dad taught me that growing up so I'm thankful to have a guy like that in my life. I know you don't care about social media I know you don't look at things because that's just not you I don't have to even know you personally to know that what did you make of the social media quarterback campaign what are your thoughts on that right now? I actually didn't follow it and so that's one of the things that I think teammates brought up to my attention after and this is the you know this is what they said and this is what was going on and you know I think as a quarterback you can't look too much into that because so many people have so many different opinions and if you start listening to one you gotta start listening to them all and so what's most important is what my family what my coaches what my teammates think and so if it's not going on in that building you try to limit your focus and not give it too much attention. If you don't look at the outside noise and you don't look at the social media quarterback Jersey printed with that on the back of it what motivates Justin Herbert? It's just being the best quarterback that I can be you know being a great teammate for those guys and I've got so much respect for everyone in that locker room and they deserve the best and so I wanna go out there and give them my best shot you know it's all about winning football games and doing your best and you know unfortunately fell short this year but it's going out and competing having fun and realizing that you get to play a game for your for your living. Besides your name which is is on the back of your Jersey and the only thing that should be on the back of your Jersey what word or phrase would you have printed out on the back of your 2023 Chargers Jersey? One message that you would like to send to the world? I think it's our way and you know that's something that Coach Staley has said for the past couple of years and you know we're gonna do things our way and you know we're gonna compete we're gonna have you know great relationships with our teammates you know we're gonna push each other and you know we're gonna have fun at the same time and we're gonna do all these things and hopefully win football games and we have to be better than we were last year but you know I think we got the guys we got the coaching staff so I'm really looking forward to the soft season. You know you talk like a veteran you're still kind of a young cat in this league I gotta ask you who is the biggest pain in your butt? I'm talking I'm you know actual person person that you have faced that just pain in your butt? Yeah that's a good question I think we've got a bunch of pass rushers in the AFC West and I think Max Crosby, Chris Jones, Frank Clark, those guys Bradley Chubb as well this past year I know he's in Miami now but those guys are able to get after the passer and definitely make my job pretty tough. Let's start with the Jersey. Yeah so it's a Lowe's home team Jersey and Lowe's home team actually is a community initiative five-year $100 million investment by Lowe's to help the community in which it serves and then I'm a part of the team thankfully and it's been an honor because this past year I worked on a kid city breezeway project that brought a unused area converted into a beautiful outdoor area for an after school program. Why was it important for you Justin to partner with Lowe's? You know I've had so much fun being a part of this partnership because what they've been able to do in the community has been huge and that's one of those things that I've really tried to do these past couple of years of having this platform as an athlete you know you can use it for the better and Lowe's is one of those companies that has done such a great job in the previous years of its you know conception you know I've had so much fun being a part of it and if I can help out however I can especially this past year with the kid city breezeway project it's been a lot of fun and doing a lot of good so it's exciting to see. Now what were you actually doing for that project right? It's like I was an unused gated sort of dead area between kid city and there was like a neighborhood apartment building I understand what were you out there with like a tool belt were you Tim Allen and a home improvement out there been ferding things I probably don't even know what that is do you even know what the improvement is Justin? Yeah so I actually grew up watching that show a little bit so I know of it but was out there you know using a power washer cleaning the walls, clearing the walkway didn't do a ton of work but was out there and so I'm really excited to see how it turns out. Justin if you were a tool or something that is sold in Lowe's what would you be? Maybe a utility belt I don't know I think. Some commotion for the answer that's pretty good. Everybody watching this can go nominate is until February 20th if it's Lowe's hometowns go to Lowe's.com slash hometowns will get everybody all the information they need but I want to ask you about Eugene a quick little game here I want just first thing that comes to mind your favorite restaurant in Eugene? Hiller burger. That was quick. I actually had it last night so it didn't take too much effort. Ice cream spot. Prince Bucklars. Favorite football field? Austin Stadium. Favorite memory in Eugene? It would have been winning a baseball state championship in 2016 with all my high school friends. Justin thank you for your time you're awesome thanks guys for the time and we appreciate it. Awesome thank you so much.