One of the best young quarterbacks nay, one of
the best overall quarterbacks already after only two seasons
in the National Football League. And this is one of
the last guys, we interviewed. Yes together at the scouting
combine in 2020, before you start throwing up and trash
can, right.
And with that
has rised, an arbor Dustin, how are you pal
doing? Well, how are you guys good? You probably don't
remember that at all, but we sat with you at the combine and
we thought after you laugh, we're like, it's gonna be
pretty good.
Like we'd never.
Ever talk to you. I'd never talk to, we've never met and we
just we were really impressed and you've made us look like
not idiots, which is a difficult thing to do.
Well, I appreciate that, you know, it was kind of a tough
situation. If you go back to the years but have a lot of fun
since then and just to
enjoy playing football staff writer at the time. Like, you
know, there was all the talk, right? Justin, when you were
coming out of all these people had question marks, you know,
oh, you know,
you know, there's a few games, you didn't play great in your,
you know, quarterback efficiency. Rankings weren't good. Oh,
what will he be like?
Once he has to leave the state of Oregon because he's like
a Bubble Boy. Apparently, do you like do you laugh at that? Now
when you look at look back at it how like ridiculous some of
the dissecting of you was
I thought it was a great opportunity for me to answer
some of those questions and you do look back and you kind of
look
and you kind of realize that maybe there wasn't all that
much truth to it, right? And to be myself to be genuine to go
there to answer those questions and
to go to the Senior Bowl to combine and be able to put
myself out there on the line. Line and show them who I really
was. You know, I thought that was a great chance for me to go
out there and do that.
What's been the biggest thing that surprised you about
the NFL two seasons into your career.
I think the speed of the game is still
so incredibly fast. I still have to adjust to that. And as
soon as I got down to Southern California and got to practice
with those guys,
I threw a screen pass
to I think Keenan but Melvin Ingram reached up with one hand
and picked it off and like it was nothing like he just did it
regularly and ever since then you kind of realize it
every guy that's on your team was the guy from where they are
and they're so fast. They're much bigger stronger and you
can't run away with things. You can't get away. With anything.
So it's been a fun challenge. So far,
dude, are you aware of?
I mean, can you sit back and understand the success you're
having your the first quarterback ever to have 30
plus touchdowns, you know, two years in a row. I mean Justin
Herbert,
you got to be voted in and start over Patrick Mahomes in
the Pro Bowl to me. That was a moment where I was like, whoa,
like fans and the players actually are going to do this.
This is amazing.
Are you able to sit back and digest that and kind of realize
what you've done and And the accomplishments so far.
I think it is a huge honor, you know, we've put in so much
work, these past two seasons and, you know, the season that
has an almost gone our way. And that's the unfortunate part
about the NFL is you're playing really good
teams week in and week out.
But to have the guys that we have the receivers, the tight
ends quarterbacks running backs and offensive line and they've
done an incredible job blocking catching running routes,
you know, I'm not here without them and they make my job so
much easier. So it's been so much fun to be a part of. Do
you like being in the same division with
Mahomes and competing with him head-to-head and facing him
twice a year. Do you ever find yourself looking at the NFL's
configurations? A team saying boy, you know, life would be
a lot easier in this division, not the one that I'm currently
assigned to.
I think it would be a lot easier being outside of that.
But at the same time, it's a great opportunity to play
the best, you know, the Chiefs that says they've had so much
success over the past couple of years and
you wouldn't really want it any other way. You want to go up
against those guys, you want to play them
because they're going to make you better, you know, they're
going to find your way. Weaknesses and they're going to
exploit that. And so,
you know, it might, it might be tough. You know, you're going
to play against those guys, but it's going to make you better
and I think in the long run,
that's what you want. Yeah, I hear that. Now, I want to get
them going on to some of the nitty-gritty of your football
season. No fourth Downs, especially right? That's got a,
you've got ahead and answer this question a few times
and I just playing quarterback, you know, Brandon Staley
obviously very aggressive. You know, what's your feel your
thoughts? Did you love it? The fact that he's so aggressive
and always gives you
An opportunity, you know, one more opportunity on Fourth Downs.
Selfishly, as the quarterback. I want to be on the field for
every fourth down Raya and whether that's smart or not.
That's not my call to make, and
whether its fourth and short fourth and long, you know,
I really believe in the guys that we have, and
I believe that if we don't get it, or defense can come up with
the Stop. And so having that opportunity of going for it and
ultimately changing the game. If you do get those, you know,
I think that's big for our team
because of how aggressive we are
nuts and bolts. How much input
Do you have in the decision or the play call?
Are you involved in that or is that all predetermined out of
your hands? I've only been doing this two years. I'll
defer to the system that surround me.
I think it's kind of finding that balance between the two
because, you know, we've got an incredible coaching staff that
have been around for so long. They know what they're doing.
You know, I trust them completely
but at the same time if there is a play that maybe I don't
want to run or there are a couple place that I really do.
Like
I feel comfortable going to them and talking with them
about that because at the end of the day, it's all of us
together and if we can We're together.
I think we'll be at our best.
What's Justin Herbert need to improve.
I mean you're kicking but you're definitely one of
the best quarterbacks in football. Like what do you look at after
two years in the NFL go, you know, I need to get better at
this for your three.
Yeah. I think there's plenty of room for improvement. I think
we could limit turnovers, you know, I think 15 or sections
was too many this year.
A lot of them were on tipped passes and poor Miss poor
throws. I don't think too many were bad decisions, which
I think is a positive.
But I think footwork
continuing to Step up in the pocket, get the ball out
quickly. Work the protection, understand the protection
and to continue understanding our offense, so
that when we do go out there on the play, knowing exactly what
to do, which play to get to how to audible doing all those
things that a quarterback quarterback does. Do you have
to tell yourself sometimes too? Hey, don't forget. I'm a,
I'm really mobile and I got a, I can get outside the pocket
and run like I felt like there was a time this year. We're all
the sudden
and I can't remember. It might have been the Pittsburgh game
the, the Sunday Night Football game. Where I felt like all
the sudden you had a little bit more urgency or awareness to
run and Tuck the ball at times. It was that something that was
really going through your head or
you have to remind yourself of sometimes.
Yeah. I think that's a really good point that you bring a,
the Steelers, play a lot of man against us. And so,
when the defensive backs, their backs were turned to me.
And if there was ever a lane to step up and run,
you know, there was plenty of space to get up and kind of get
away. A lot of those were on third down which, you know,
I think we're big third down conversions for us in that game
because yeah, game ended up being really tight. A lot of
points were scored.
Damon any time that you're able to convert those third Downs,
whether it's through the air or on the ground, it's important
for the offense and
teams have done a better job of kind of
filling those Lanes,
but for that game that we found, we just found a way to
convert those to those big Destiny. May have heard. The
rumors are true. They're playing the Super Bowl in your
Stadium. Will you attend the game?
That's the tough. The tough question to answer
watching the playoffs and watching the Super Bowl as
a player. You always want to be a part of it. And since we're not
Not, it's kind of tough. Because you want to be a part
of it and
having made my decision, whether I'm gonna be there or
not. I know, I'll watch the game one way or the other, but
whether I attend, I don't know yet. Do you get motivation from
seeing that the Rams, the team that you share a stadium with
is here. Does
that give you an extra little kick to see that between that
and Joe Borough? Who was drafted the same year you were
obviously does that give you extra impetus to say. Hey one
of these years. I'm not going to be available do interviews
the week in
the Super Bowl because I'm going to be in ready to play in it.
Oh, it totally does and to see the Rams to see the Cincinnati
Bengals, you know, a team that we've played during the regular
season as the chief says. Well,
you know, it does give you that motivation heading into
the offseason and you want to get back to weight weight lifting
to meetings to throwing because you want to be there
in without football, you know, you don't have a whole lot
going on. So
yeah, I'm excited to get back to this offseason with our guys
are teammates, so we can put ourselves in a position to be
here later. Who do you root for? I mean, I know if I was in
your shoes, I'd go.
Damn, I don't want the team in my city to win and I also know,
I'd go. Damn. I don't want the guy that I was in the draft
class to win and get one up on me early. So like, you know,
who we leaning towards right now. Justin Herbert.
That's another question that I have the answers. Well,
now, you bring up really good points about that. And,
you know, I think the real winner is the city of Los
Angeles for hosting the Super Bowl. Okay, you all
professional these answers and stuff. Look at you. You're
good. The you that's why you are the quarterback right
there.
Plenty of time to prepare, but it's
good for ya. All right. This is the toughest and most probing
question of the entire interview. Are you ready for
it?
Let's do it. Tell us what you're doing with dr. Squatch,
natural soap.
Yeah, so dr. Squatch and I were an out. Were excited to
announce this partnership because they've done a great
job producing high performance, care products. Soaps, shampoos
deodorants that are free from synthetic materials and harsh
chemicals. And
you know, I've really enjoyed using it and maybe even sent it
out to our offensive lineman as well. And I know they have to
so it's been great for us.
Do you want the center? You want the center to be smelling?
Good girls knows that well Center smells good to make sure
things are prop shotgun. It's okay shotgun. He is in shotgun.
A lot
has his hands probably smell. Good more times than not,
Chris has some fun with that because he played in town.
I played in Tampa Guy, The Hunters weddings to call swamp
ass, right? You know, I was a,
it was a constant thing of like, not the ball would be wet
in the second quarter would be, like, I was throwing the ball
in a rainstorm. So we have funny stories about that and
cleanliness.
Miss but I like this logo on the shirt too
Justin. That's pretty cool.
Yeah. No, it's awesome. That and what you mentioned that
couldn't have been easy. So, you know everything to make our
offense better. I'm all for it. Yeah. Well, we started
the interview with Chris thrown up in the trash can from two years
ago, and we end with swamp ass a
great post somewhere Justin. You were the first interview of
the week that we did and we appreciate talking. Do we look
forward to talking to you again
real soon?