We're just three days away from the Chargers' season opener vs. the Chiefs in Brazil. Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes will face off for the ninth time in their careers. While the games are normally close, Mahomes has had the upper hand. A December win against Herbert last year pushed the Chiefs QB to 7-1 in the head-to-head.
Herbert will have his chance at redemption this Friday. But before the season starts, analysts, players, and fans are still getting their QB takes off. Joe Montana named his QB Mt. Rushmore on Tuesday of the players he'd start a franchise with.
Joe Montana would start a franchise with Chargers QB Justin Herbert over Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes
The first three names Montana mentioned were Josh Allen, Joe Burrow, and Justin Herbert. Montana then included Eagles QB Jalen Hurts as the fourth pick to start a franchise with. Asked about Mahomes, the Hall of Famer said he would've included him if he was younger.
It's important to note this was a "start a franchise with" exercise as opposed to which QB is better currently. Still, legendary quarterbacks continue to give Herbert their stamp of approval. Last summer, Peyton Manning ranked Herbert in his top five quarterbacks along with Mahomes, Burrow, Allen, and Lamar Jackson.
Herbert might not receive praise from NFL pundits and fans until he has sustained playoff success. But clearly, the talent and skillset to get those results are there. Herbert has the most yards through the first five years of a career in NFL history with 21,093. He's sixth all time in touchdowns in the same timeframe.
A win against the Chiefs on Friday in a nationally televised game would go a long way towards getting the public back on Herbert's side. But for the time being, the Chargers QB has the respect of legends that have played the game.