If you look at the raw numbers, the Justin Herbert career record is a bit of a paradox. Honestly, it’s one of the weirdest resumes in the NFL. You have a guy who has literally rewritten the history books for passing yards in the first five seasons of a career, yet he still gets hammered by the "win-loss" crowd.
As of January 2026, Herbert's regular-season record sits at 52-43-0. It’s respectable. It’s solid. But for a quarterback with his arm talent and a $262.5 million contract, the conversation always pivots to the "big games." Basically, the Chargers have a Porsche in the garage, but the engine seems to stall every time they hit the postseason highway.
The Regular Season Machine vs. Postseason Reality
Most people look at a quarterback's record and assume it tells the whole story. It doesn't. Herbert is currently the king of "empty calories" to his critics and a "victim of circumstance" to his fans.
Through the end of the 2025 season, Herbert has accumulated 24,820 passing yards. That’s more than Peyton Manning had at this stage of his career. He’s also thrown 163 touchdowns against just 58 interceptions. Those are Hall of Fame-track numbers. But then you look at the playoff column.
The Playoff Void
The postseason has been, frankly, a disaster. Justin Herbert currently holds a 0-3 record in the playoffs.
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- 2022 Wild Card (Jaguars): The 27-0 collapse. Not all on him, but he couldn't stop the bleeding.
- 2024 Wild Card (Texans): A four-interception nightmare. This was the game that silenced a lot of the Herbert "truthers" for a while.
- 2025 Wild Card (Patriots): A 16-3 slog where the offense didn't find the end zone once.
It’s a tough pill to swallow. You’ve got a quarterback who can make every throw on the planet, yet the Chargers' offense looked completely stagnant in that most recent New England loss.
Breaking Down the Justin Herbert Career Record by the Numbers
To really understand how we got here, you have to look at the context of the seasons. Herbert didn't exactly walk into a dynasty. He walked into a team that was moving from the Philip Rivers era into a weird, transitional identity crisis.
2020: The Breakout
Herbert went 6-9 as a rookie. Sounds bad? He threw 31 touchdowns. He was Offensive Rookie of the Year. The record was more about a struggling defense and questionable late-game coaching under Anthony Lynn.
2021-2022: The Surge
The Chargers went 9-8 and then 10-7. This was the peak of the "Staley-ball" era. Herbert was gunslinging, hitting over 5,000 yards in 2021. This is where the Justin Herbert career record started to look like a winning one. But the 27-0 playoff loss to Jacksonville in January 2023 left a scar that hasn't quite healed.
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2024-2025: The Harbaugh Era
Jim Harbaugh was supposed to be the fix. In 2025, the Chargers actually looked like a powerhouse for a minute, finishing 11-6. Herbert was efficient. He had a career-best 7.67 TD-to-INT ratio in 2024. But even with Harbaugh’s "toughness" mantra, the team finished 2025 with that dud against the Patriots.
Division Rivalries
One area where Herbert actually shines is within the AFC West. He’s been a Raiders-killer, sitting at 8-3 against Las Vegas. He’s also held his own against Denver (6-4). The thorn in his side, obviously, is Kansas City. A 4-7 record against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs is where the division is lost every year.
Why the Record is Misleading
Is a quarterback record even a real stat? Honestly, it’s a team stat disguised as an individual one. Herbert has played under three different head coaches and numerous offensive coordinators in six years.
Take the 2025 season. Herbert played through a fractured bone in his non-throwing hand and late-season ankle issues. Despite that, he led the team to an 11-6 finish before the wheels fell off in the Wild Card round. The "record" says he lost that playoff game, but the "tape" shows a quarterback playing behind a decimated offensive line without Rashawn Slater or Joe Alt.
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The Nuance of the 0-3 Playoff Mark
- The 2024 Texans Game: This was purely a performance failure. Herbert was erratic.
- The 2025 Patriots Game: This was a schematic failure. Greg Roman’s offense was figured out, leading to his firing just two days after the loss.
What’s Next for Herbert?
The Chargers are currently looking for a new offensive coordinator to replace Roman. The Justin Herbert career record is at a crossroads. He is 27 years old. He has the stats. He has the money. But until that "0" in the playoff win column changes to a "1," the narrative won't budge.
If you’re tracking Herbert for your dynasty league or just as a fan, the regular season wins are going to stay consistent because he’s too talented to go 5-12. The real metric to watch is his record in "one-score games" in December and January.
Actionable Insights for Following Herbert's Career:
- Watch the Coaching Hires: The next OC will determine if Herbert becomes a 13-win quarterback or stays in the 9-to-11 win range.
- Monitor the AFC West Standings: The Chargers' ability to sweep the Raiders and Broncos is his floor; taking two from the Chiefs is his ceiling.
- Ignore the "Yardage" Records: He’s already proven he can throw for 4,000 yards in his sleep. Focus on his 4th quarter comeback percentage, which has fluctuated wildly since 2020.
- Check the Injury Reports: Herbert is notoriously tough and plays through things (like the 2025 hand surgery), but his efficiency always dips when he's banged up.
The story of the Justin Herbert career record isn't written yet, but the 2026 season feels like the final chapter of the "young prodigy" era. It's time for the "winning" era to actually start.