Chargers’ struggles are not a shock to anyone. The team is 0-5 into the season, and Justin Herbert’s performance is also taking a hard toll. But at the center of all the blame comes right at his partner, Madison Beer.
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“It’s disappointing,” Leonard Fournette said on the 4th and South podcast. “You know, when you see guys over this past NFL season getting married, it seems like his love was holding him back.” He further added, “Right now, I don’t know what Miss Madison is doing to this young man.”
The notion has been prominent since the couple announced their engagement on July 28, 2026. The criticism has not been limited to one person. Shannon Sharpe also questioned Herbert’s decision to miss part of the Chargers’ voluntary offseason training sessions to travel with his fiancée, Madison Beer, while she was on tour before the 2026 season.
“I would love to see another QB take time off to go travel the country with their girlfriend like they allowed [Justin] Herbert to do,” Sharpe said on the Nightcap podcast. “You need to have a partner that understands. She should have told him, ‘No, babe. I need you to stay here. I need you to focus on the main thing.’ We think that everybody wants to be great. Everybody doesn’t want to be great. Everybody says they want to be great until it comes time that you have to make sacrifices in order to be great. You need a special type of partner. You need somebody that understands. You need a Savannah James.”
However, balancing work and personal life is also important for a player, and Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh appears to understand that. While some have questioned Herbert’s decision to travel with Beer, Harbaugh defended his quarterback and explained why he supported the trip.
“I was happy he went to support Madison on her music tour,” Harbaugh said, via Gilberto Manzano of SI.com. “Madison supports him at the football games. He told me he wasn’t gonna be here for those two weeks and my first reaction was, ‘Do you need a ride to the airport?'”
Another reason Beer has become part of the conversation could be her presence at Herbert’s training camp. According to People, in a report published on August 5, 2026, fan videos showed Beer spending time with Herbert at the Chargers’ training facility in El Segundo, California. The clips, shared on social media on August 4, showed the couple enjoying a personal moment during what appeared to be a break from practice.
The video attracted attention because Herbert was preparing for the upcoming NFL season while spending time with his fiancée on the practice field. That attention continued a couple of weeks later. On Tuesday, August 18, 2026, Herbert practised with the Chargers against the San Francisco 49ers. After practice ended, Herbert was seen walking hand in hand with his fiancée, Madison Beer, across the field in El Segundo, California, as reported by the California Post.
Still, the criticism has largely grown alongside Herbert’s disappointing performances on the field. Against Denver, he threw for just 121 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, completing 14 of his 24 passes. Against Las Vegas, he completed 15 of 27 passes for 192 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. He had a similar outing against Seattle, throwing for 189 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.
But that doesn’t mean it’s because of his partner. Beer has always been supportive of him during games. Last year TMZ reported that Beer watched Herbert and the Chargers play the Denver Broncos from a suite at SoFi Stadium.
This year too, she was present at SoFi Stadium for the Chargers’ season opener against the Arizona Cardinals. She wore a custom outfit featuring Herbert’s No. 10.
She has always supported Justin Herbert, and since when has supporting your partner become a crime?