Chargers announce plantar fascia injury for Justin Herbert, expected to be ready by regular season

Los Angeles Chargers franchise quarterback Justin Herbert is set to be sidelined from training camp with a plantar fascia injury to his right foot, the team announced on Thursday. Herbert is expected to be ready for the start of the regular season.

To rehab the injury, Herbert will apparently spend the next two weeks, approximately, in a walking boot to rest the plantar fascia before gradually working back up to playing health. The process and timeline for his return to play was not specified beyond the regular season deadline.

The nature of Herbert’s injury to his plantar fascia is unclear.

The plantar fascia is the portion of tissue on the bottom of the foot, connecting the heel to the back of the toes. It’s a normally quite resilient part of the human anatomy, but can start to suffer from small tears over time. And as anyone who has ever had plantar fasciitis can attest to the general, radiating pain throughout the foot.

Herbert is entering his fifth season as the starting quarterback for the Chargers.

Herbert’s new coach has been excited to work with him

Jim Harbaugh already has an advantage over other first-year coaches. The new guy with the Chargers inherited a young quarterback who already has made a Pro Bowl.

It’s why Harbaugh, who led Michigan to a national championship, is so high on Herbert. The Chargers selected Herbert, the former Oregon star, with the sixth pick of the 2020 NFL Draft. Herbert earned Rookie of the Year. And then the next season, he earned a spot in the Pro Bowl after throwing for 5,014 yards and 38 touchdowns.

By 2022, Herbert helped lead the Chargers to the playoffs. Last year was a step back after Herbert needed surgery to repair his index finger.

As you can tell, Harbaugh can build around Herbert.

“He’s been incredible,” the Chargers new head coach told reporters last month. “I think it’s probably the reaction that everybody has. From my standpoint, I knew he was really good, but you’re right up next to him watching where you can feel the way the ball comes out of his hand. When it comes out, it’s going a lot faster than you think, than it looks on tape.

“He’s bigger, taller than you’d think watching TV,” Harbaugh said of Herbert. “The athleticism and strength, really, he could play tight end here. He could play edge rusher here. And the arm talent is even better than advertised. It’s an exciting thing. I found myself just sitting at my desk at times, going, ‘He’s on our team!’”