Super Bowl 58 is finally upon us. It is a nightmare scenario for 99% of football fans, with the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the San Francisco 49ers in what feels like a battle of the entitled. As it felt with the New England Patriots on multiple occasions, watching the division rival Chiefs make the big game repeatedly takes the joy out of many spectators year in and year out.
While it will undoubtedly hurt to watch this game (even more so if we have to watch Patrick Mahomes win his third Lombardi trophy in six years as a starter) the LA Chargers have done plenty to make fans optimistic for the 2024-2025 season.
A total revamping of the front office and coaching staff shows a commitment from the Spanos family to do whatever it takes to make the Chargers more than just the butt of the no-fans jokes from media and non-fans alike. Here are three things the Chargers must do to put them over the top and have them playing in New Orleans this time next year.
1. Do whatever it takes to keep Justin Herbert healthy all season
Maybe you expected this first move to be a singular acquisition. Maybe something related to the draft, a trade, or even a free agent signing. However, none of that matters if Justin Herbert misses time or plays below the standard we've become accustomed to.
Herbert has played back-to-back seasons with injuries that have either hindered him all year or at some point taken him out of games altogether. Fractured rib cartilage left the quarterback in obvious pain for almost all of last season. This year, broken fingers on each hand left Herbert with an awkward-looking setup on his non-throwing hand, and then ended his season when he broke a finger on his throwing hand against the Denver Broncos.
If the LA Chargers have any hopes of making it to Super Bowl 59, Justin Herbert just cannot play with significant injuries for the entirety of the season. Coach Harbaugh has said himself he specifically looks to keep QB1 protected, and that should bring a smile to everyone's face.