Just days after surgery on his non-throwing hand, Justin Herbert helped the Los Angeles Chargers grind out a 22-19 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. Despite being taped up, the quarterback delivered another game-winning drive on Monday night. Yet the moment the game ended, Herbert found himself in the middle of criticism.

“Justin Herbert didn’t want to stop for an interview and said, ‘I just want to celebrate with my team’ 🥲,” Chargers reporter Tyler Schoon wrote via X.

Schoon here was referring to what happened during ESPN’s post-game broadcast on Monday night. ESPN’s reporter Laura Rutledge was seen following Justin Herbert across the field after the game ended. While Herbert turned and looked at her, his eyes kept scanning the crowd. And he made it clear that he wanted to get back to his teammates to celebrate the win. 

Rutledge acknowledged the QB’s message, but she still pushed gently: “Can we talk to you really fast?”

So, Justin Herbert stopped. Rutledge then took the opportunity and asked him about the interception that sealed the game. It was the one that Chargers safety Tony Jefferson caught after cornerback Cam Hart tipped the ball. So, Herbert gave credit where it was due.

“Yeah, the defense played incredible,” Herbert said. “They came up with so many big stops. So proud to play for those guys. The way they competed down in and down out is really fun to watch.”

The Chargers’ defense owned the night at So-Fi Stadium as they held the Eagles to one touchdown. The Bolts’ defense even forced five turnovers from Eagles QB Jalen Hurts. But Herbert did not have a glamorous night either. He got sacked seven times – a career high. As such, Rutledge asked Herbert how he felt after taking so many hits. But he looked distracted and kept it short: “Feel pretty good, thank you.”

Was Justin Herbert being curt? Or was he just overwhelmed by the moment and the pain? It’s hard to blame a guy who just survived a seven-sack night with a stitched-up hand. Still, Rutledge continued the interview with professionalism. She asked Herbert what he made of his team’s ability to pull off the overtime win.

“Yeah, not the way we drew it up,” Justin Herbert continued. “But the battle in these guys, you know, it’s so much fun. I’m so honored to be a part of this team, and they never quit. And, you know, it’s just fun to be a part of. We’ll watch the film and have to get better at it and keep moving forward.” 

But even here, Justin Herbert seemed distracted. An Eagles player walked by, and Herbert paused mid-answer to acknowledge him. The interview wrapped soon after, but fans online weren’t thrilled with Herbert’s reluctance.

Fans react to Justin Herbert’s post-game interview

One fan wrote, “I’m sorry, I thought Justin Herbert was extremely rude to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge. You know the drill, dude, you’re the QB.”

Why do people go after Justin Herbert so quickly? Back in July this year, former Chargers defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko had mentioned that Herbert is quiet and doesn’t fight back. So, maybe that’s the reason people feel free to take shots at him. Therefore, some fans were not above calling Herbert names.

“What an entitled douchebag,” one fan wrote.

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“Kind of an a–hole move if you ask me 🤷,” another fan added. 

But one cannot deny that when his team needed him, Justin Herbert delivered again. He marched the offense downfield late in the fourth quarter to set up the tying field goal. Then he did it again in overtime to put the Chargers ahead for good. Chargers’ head coach Jim Harbaugh had even mentioned after the game that Herbert wanted to play despite being in pain. That counts for something, right? Nevertheless, fans also praised Laura Rutledge for how she handled the moment. 

“And she’s trying to do her job,” one fan wrote. “@LauraRutledge is a pro’s pro.”

“Excellent composure from @LauraRutledge here, well done!” another fan wrote. “It takes 30 seconds, Justin…”

So, fans called Rutledge professional and even applauded her composure while she tried to do her job. But here’s a fair question: if Justin Herbert had given the exact same answers in the interview but smiled more, would anyone care? Fans want their franchise quarterback to look like he enjoys the spotlight. But Herbert, clearly, prefers the locker room. And after a messy, physical win, maybe that’s understandable.