Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy didn’t wait long to stir the pot ahead of Sunday night’s AFC Wild Card showdown between the Los Angeles Chargers and New England Patriots.
On his Wake Up Barstool appearance, Portnoy unloaded a familiar rant aimed squarely at Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.
He doubled down on a stance he’s held for years:
“I have not been a Justin Herbert guy. I’ve never bought the Justin Herbert Kool-Aid,” Portnoy said.
While he credited the Chargers for being physical and strong defensively, he made it clear he doesn’t see Herbert as the engine of their success.
“Herbert is not going to be the reason we lose,” Portnoy added.
Portnoy also couldn’t resist taking another jab.
He reduced Herbert’s resume to “a big arm and a pretty girlfriend.”
Portnoy went even further when comparing quarterbacks, saying, “I’ll take my guy (Drake Maye) 100 times out of 100 over Justin Herbert.”
A Patriots Diehard With a Long History of Herbert Criticism
Portnoy’s comments weren’t exactly out of character.
As a lifelong and unapologetic New England Patriots fan, he has repeatedly taken shots at Herbert.
These shots have even dated back to his college days.
Portnoy has claimed Herbert “didn’t even finish his college career great” at Oregon.
He continues to question why the national media props him up as an elite NFL quarterback.
Over the years, Portnoy has labeled Herbert “the most overrated quarterback in the league.”
He has called him “soft,” and even referred to him as “a loser to bet on.”
Additionally, he’s pointed to specific moments of disaster.
One he always brings up was the disastrous Wild Card loss in which Herbert threw a pick-six, his proof that the QB doesn’t rise up in big moments.
The founder of Barstool believes that Herbert’s talent has never matched his hype.
Sunday’s matchup against his lifelong favorite team could be a big measuring stick.
Breaking Down Maye-Herbert Matchup
The backdrop to Portnoy’s rant is a fascinating playoff matchup.
The Chargers enter as the more experienced postseason group.
They’ve leaned on a physical defense and a roster built to grind games down.
Herbert has been great all season, especially considering he lost two of the best offensive tackles in football for the season in Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater.
He has thrown for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns.
The QB has even has made a big difference on the ground as he’s rushed 498 yards on the season.
He has done all of this while battling a serious left hand injury that he’s been dealing with over the last month.
Herbert, fair or not, will once again be under the microscope to prove he can carry a team deep into January.
On the other side, the Patriots are turning the page with Drake Maye, whose second season has energized the fan base.
Drake Maye enters the playoffs after one of the most efficient seasons in the NFL, throwing for 4,394 yards while completing nearly 72 percent of his passes
He had a 31-8 touchdown-to-interception ratio, finished first in QBR (77.2), and earned a Pro Bowl nod.
This has quickly put himself at the forefront of the MVP conversation.
Despite all of his success this season, Sunday will mark his first career playoff start.
Looking ahead, Portnoy’s comments will ultimately be judged by the results on the field on Sunday night.
In the meantime, they’ve only sharpened the spotlight on what’s shaping up to be an outstanding quarterback playoff matchup.
Dave Portnoy Takes Massive Shot at Justin Herbert Before Chargers-Patriots Playoff Matchup