So much for there not being any fans of the Los Angeles Chargers, eh? The lastest Chargers news proves that Charger fans are going strong and there certainly is a lot more of us than outsiders give credit for.
CBS Sports broke down the latest NFL jersey sales data from NFLShop.com and there is a Charger that is much higher on the list than anyone would have expected.
To be honest, though, there are several variables that make this the perfect storm for the Chargers to rank high in jersey sales. Either way, it showcases that Charger fans do exist and that they are loyal.
Chargers News: Justin Herbert ranks fifth in jersey sales
Out of any player in the NFL, Justin Herbert ranks fifth in total jersey sales thus far this offseason. The only players ahead of Herbert are Tua Tagovailia, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Joe Burrow.
In terms of the type of jersey being sold, the power blue Herbert jersey ranks 12th among all jerseys sold. Tua has the top two, Brady has third, fourth, fifth, sixth and 10th, Gronkowski has the seventh and ninth and Burrow has the eighth and the 11th.
This does not mean that Justin Herbert is the fifth-most popular player in the league, there are simply several variables that are leading to him being ranked so high.
First of all, he is a new player, so fans are naturally going to buy his jersey first over someone on the Chargers that they already have. He is also a quarterback, if fans are going to get a new jersey this offseason then they are going to want to get a player that they think will be with the team for quite some time.
This offseason represents a surge in Charger jersey sales as well with the re-designing of the uniforms, which have been universally touted and are perhaps the best in the league. So the team has the perfect storm of jerseys being in more demand and having a new franchise quarterback to sell the jerseys.
Still, though, for a team that often gets ridiculed for not having any fans and not filling up their own stadium, seeing Herbert as the fifth-highest jersey sale right now is probably a bit shocking to the detractors.
Will I be buying a Justin Herbert jersey? Probably not, I am too emotionally attached to Philip Rivers and I need to see Herbert in the NFL first.
However, that white Derwin James jersey has my name all over it. Or Joe Reed, considering we have the same last name and he is wearing my favorite number — 12.