Justin Herbert and the Chargers have agreed to an extension to make him the highest paid quarterback in NFL history.
The next QB domino falls: Chargers and Justin Herbert reached agreement today on a landmark five-year, $262.5 million extension that ties him to the franchise through the 2029 season, sources tell me and @Lindseythiry. Deal gets done before Chargers’ first training-camp practice… pic.twitter.com/m8cYcqANtX
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) July 25, 2023
Herbert’s average annual value eclipses that of both Jalen Hurts and Lamar Jackson at $52.5 million. His total guarantee of nearly $219 million is a historic figure only topped by Deshaun Watson in NFL history.
The rapid growth of the quarterback market has been pointed out by some:
In 2013, Aaron Rodgers was the NFL's highest-paid player at $22 million per year.
Just 10 years later, there are 18 quarterbacks making over $22M … 12 making $40M+ … and now 4 making $50M+ after Justin Herbert's extension.
The cap has grown 82.7% and QB $ even faster.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 25, 2023
Philip Rivers’ 2015 extension had $21 million in average annual value. Eight years later, that figure gets blown out of the water.
Some were quick to point out that Joe Burrow is next up on the market as the quarterback class of 2020 continues to get theirs:
Joe Burrow looking at Justin Herbert's new extension: pic.twitter.com/i2hoCKziko
— FanDuel Sportsbook (@FDSportsbook) July 25, 2023
The Chargers played it generally cool and calm throughout the process of the extension talks as Tom Telesco alluded to on the Pat McAfee show earlier this year:
"Justin Herbert is a franchise QB and we’re not losing sleep over paying him"
Tom Telesco | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/73uSnVRon5
— Pat McAfee Show Quotes (@PatMcAfeequotes) July 25, 2023
With Herbert taken care of, the primetime level battles between him and Mahomes are largely guaranteed to take place twice a year until 2029:
AT LEAST 7 more years of Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert in the AFC West
buckle up. https://t.co/6ercQYcUHD
— Jackson Didlake (@diidlake) July 25, 2023
And of course, it wouldn’t be a big Herbert day on Twitter without reposts of some of his best highlights:
This magic from Justin Herbert is worth $262.5m itself: pic.twitter.com/R7llgxAzkk
— Michael McQuaid (@Michael_NFL) July 25, 2023
Now that the contract’s ironed out, the team’s ready to turn all of its attention to 2023 tomorrow:
Congratulations to Justin Herbert and the Chargers on the contract extension! No-brainer move.
Go get that ring ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/obAfLQgGmz
— Tyler Schoon (@tylerjschoon) July 25, 2023
