In a landmark deal, Justin Herbert has secured his position as the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL based on annual salary. The Los Angeles Chargers and Herbert reached an agreement on a substantial five-year contract extension worth a staggering $262.5 million.
With an average annual salary of $52.5 million, Herbert’s new contract surpasses the previous record set by Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson had signed a five-year extension for $260 million, with an average of $52 million per season, just three months before Herbert’s deal.
Notably, Herbert’s guaranteed earnings amount to an impressive $218.7 million, making it the second-highest guaranteed amount in NFL history. The top spot for guaranteed money is currently held by Deshaun Watson, who signed a fully guaranteed $230 million deal with Cleveland in 2022.
Although the Chargers have not officially released the financial specifics of the contract, a source close to the negotiations revealed these remarkable figures to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.
On the very first day of training camp, Justin Herbert and the Chargers came to an agreement on his contract extension. The team wasted no time in securing their star quarterback’s future. The Chargers’ training camp will kick off with their first practice scheduled for Wednesday.
Among the 2020 draft class, Justin Herbert becomes the second player to sign a significant extension, with Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts being the first. Hurts signed a lucrative five-year deal valued at $255 million.
Notably, Herbert’s new contract also sets the benchmark for negotiations involving the Cincinnati Bengals and their quarterback, Joe Burrow. Talks between the Bengals and Burrow are ongoing, taking cues from Herbert’s groundbreaking extension.
Meanwhile, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, holding the title for the largest overall deal for a quarterback, is currently in the third year of his substantial 10-year contract worth an astonishing $450 million.
At just 25 years old, Justin Herbert has already achieved remarkable feats in the NFL. As the sixth overall pick in the 2020 draft, he has made history by becoming the first quarterback to start his career with three consecutive seasons of at least 4,000 passing yards. Additionally, Herbert is one of only two players to throw 25 touchdown passes in each of his first three years.
Since entering the league, Herbert has proven himself as a force to be reckoned with, ranking second in completions (1,316), third in passing yards (14,089), and sixth in touchdown passes (102). His accomplishments have solidified his status as one of the league’s most promising and talented quarterbacks.
Despite Justin Herbert’s impressive individual statistics, the Los Angeles Chargers have yet to establish themselves as top-tier Super Bowl contenders. With Herbert as their starting quarterback, the team’s overall record, including playoff games, stands at 25 wins and 25 losses.
In the previous season, the Chargers showed promise by finishing with a 10-7 record, making it to the postseason for the first time since 2018. However, their playoff run was cut short when they suffered a devastating loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, squandering a massive 27-point lead in the first half and eventually falling 31-30 in the first round of the playoffs.
Given his potential and performance, Herbert’s talent has been recognized, leading to the decision to extend his contract. Before the extension, he was set to enter the final year of his rookie contract with a base salary of $4.2 million for the upcoming season. As part of the agreement, the Chargers exercised their fifth-year option for 2024, a move that will see Herbert earning a substantial $29.5 million for that season.
The hope is that with Herbert’s continued development and potential, the Chargers will be able to build a more competitive team capable of contending for Super Bowl success in the future. However, as of now, they still have some ground to cover to reach the echelon of the NFL’s elite teams.
