On Monday Night Football, with his third win of the season, former Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert made NFL history by becoming the first QB in NFL history to complete more than 500 passes before his 20th career start.
That sounds like a big deal, but for anyone who has followed Herbert’s career thus far — not just with the Los Angeles Chargers, but at Oregon as well — record-breaking performances seem to be part of his makeup. As the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020, we now have a feeling that Herbert is one day going to be in the running for one of the best players to play the game, and he is taking the league by storm in his second season.
Watching him set another record on Monday night inspired us to dig through the record books and compile all of the crazy numbers that Oregon’s favorite son has put over in his season-plus at the professional level. With just 19 career starts under his belt, it’s a healthy list. Take a look:
Statistics courtesy of NFL Research.
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Most passing TD as a rookie (31)
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Most games with 300+ passing yards as a rookie (8)
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Most consecutive games with 2+ TD passes as a rookie (7)
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Most games as a rookie with 3+ TD passes (5)
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Most passes completed by a rookie (396)
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First rookie in NFL history to have 4 passing TDs in MNF debut
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First rookie with 2,000+ yards passing and 15+ TD in first 7 starts
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First rookie with 1,600+ yards passing and 20+ TD in first 9 starts
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Most passing yards in 1st half of a game since 1991 (277)
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First player with passing TD and rushing TD in 1st half of NFL debut since 1954
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Tied for most games with 3 TD passing and 0 INT through 2 seasons (6) (Still has 13 games left in 2nd season)
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First QB to reach 500+ completions before 20th career start
…You get all of that?
As an under-recruited guy who many thought would be a bust in the NFL due to his introverted and calm demeanor, it’s impossible to admit anything other than the fact that Herbert has completely blown the expectations out of the water since being drafted. He is a franchise quarterback for the Chargers, and on a career trajectory that could put him on a list with the all-time greats when all is said and done.
And the best part about that? He’s a Eugene kid, through and through. Growing up in the Sheldon area, leading the Irish to a state championship, and leading his beloved Ducks to a long list of triumphs. It’s hard to think of a player more deserving of the success he’s getting, and impossible to create a person that Oregon Duck fans could love more.
That’s part of what makes this all feel so special. Herbert’s records are shared by everyone who has rooted for him over the years and celebrated by the Oregon faithful.
Better than that, he’s just getting started.
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