The story of Monday Night Football should have been nothing but positive for Justin Herbert. The star quarterback didn’t have a stellar stat line, but he gritted through seven sacks with a broken hand and made just enough plays for the Los Angeles Chargers to win 22-19 in overtime against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The chaotic victory keeps the Chargers (9-4) as the top Wild Card seed in a congested AFC. It could prove pivotal, as the team has a grueling final four games. They face three teams above .500 (Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos), along with the always-dangerous Kansas City Chiefs.
Instead of receiving praise for his gutsy performance, however, Herbert is being criticized for his behavior during a postgame interaction with ESPN’s Laura Rutledge.
Herbert’s Awkward Interview with Rutledge
In the game’s immediate aftermath, the ESPN broadcast caught Rutledge attempting to track down Herbert for a customary postgame interview. Herbert momentarily walked away from Rutledge before the sideline reporter said something the mic didn’t pick up. Herbert’s response was audible, though.
“Yeah, I’m trying to celebrate with my team,” Herbert said, still trying to evade Rutledge.
“No, I know, but can we just talk to you really fast?” the 11-year ESPN reporter asked.
Herbert then paused, composed himself, and answered Rutledge’s questions. But to online critics, the damage was already done. You can watch the full interaction here. This is the transcript:
Rutledge: “What was it like to watch the interception there that sealed this game for you guys to get this win?”
Herbert: “Yeah, the defense played incredible. You know, they came up with so many big stops today. So proud to be able to play for those guys. The way they compete, down in, down out, is really fun to watch.”
Rutledge: “We know you were dealing with a broken hand tonight. You gutted it out. You were hit multiple times. How are you feeling right now?”
Herbert: “Feel pretty good, thank you.”
Rutledge: “And then what can you say about the way that this team was able to pull this off in overtime? You guys know how important this game was and how good the opponent was on the other side.”
Herbert: “Yeah, not the way we drew it up, but the battle in these guys, you know, it’s so much fun, and I’m honored to be a part of this team. They never quit and, you know, it’s just fun to be a part of it. We’ll watch the film and have to get better at it, and we’ll keep moving forward.”
If you only saw the interview itself, not the preceding moments, it would seem like any other postgame conversation. The 27-year-old quarterback checked off the typical responses that media training instills. But Herbert’s initial snub of Rutledge sparked an immense reaction.
Reactions Across Social Media
Many people online criticized Herbert for his behavior, citing that it’s routine for winning players, especially quarterbacks, to answer questions immediately after a game.
“I’m sorry I thought Justin Herbert was extremely rude to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge,” tweeted Alec Nolan, a reporter with Fox 7 in Austin, Texas. “You know the drill dude, you’re the QB. Big win for the Chargers, gut wrenching loss for the Eagles.”
“Elite stuff from @LauraRutledge on chasing down Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who was as rude as I’ve ever seen a *winning* quarterback for a postgame interview for the TV broadcast. Handled that like a pro,” tweeted Ben Baby, ESPN’s NFL Nation team reporter for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Chase Daniel, a former NFL quarterback and teammate of Herbert’s, also said the Chargers’ signal caller was in the wrong. Daniel posted, “Coming from someone who played 14 years & with Justin…he has to understand that this is part of his job & not fight it regardless if you think it adds to the viewing experience or not (it does)
Some came to Herbert’s defense, saying it’s understandable to get caught up in the excitement of the win and pointing out that Herbert quickly realized the media obligations that come with being an NFL quarterback.
Rutledge’s Response to the Incident
The most important reaction of all is, of course, Laura Rutledge’s. Earlier today, the ESPN host and reporter posted an AI Instagram reel of the incident, captioned, “Rough day at the office 🤣🤣 let’s all have a good laugh and move on!”
The video shows the initial interaction as seen on ESPN before an AI-altered Herbert strikes a boxing pose and smacks Rutledge to the ground.
It seems like Rutledge falls on the side of forgiving Herbert for simply getting caught up in the moment. Even if the internet never forgets, to Rutledge the incident is water under the bridge.
Justin Herbert Criticized for “Rude” Incident With ESPN’s Laura Rutledge