The NFL’s refereeing crisis reached a new boiling point on Monday when Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh vented his frustrations over the alarming lack of roughing the passer calls to protect his star quarterback Justin Herbert. In a fiery press conference, Harbaugh compared the unchecked brutality endured by Herbert to the physical punishment often absorbed by NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal during his playing days.
“Does it sound like I’m complaining? Maybe? I could be,” an exasperated Harbaugh admitted to reporters. “I think he doesn’t get some of those calls when they should be called.”
Shaq-Sized Hits, Lilliputian Flags
The numbers paint a startling picture of officiating negligence. Despite being one of the league’s most frequently hit and pressured quarterbacks, Herbert has yet to draw a single roughing the passer penalty in his favor this season. By comparison, more mobile QBs like Justin Fields of the Chicago Bears have garnered a league-leading six such flags.
“It’s almost Shaq-like,” Harbaugh quipped, alluding to the notoriously physical defense O’Neal faced throughout his Hall of Fame career. “He’ll come back the next play like it didn’t happen.”
Sack Lunch
Sunday’s 27-10 victory over the Cleveland Browns saw Herbert endure a season-high six sacks in the first half alone, prompting renewed scrutiny over the officiating crew’s judgment and Herbert’s long-term health. Despite the constant barrage of hits, the stoic QB never complained to the refs or showed any signs of frustration.
“I’ve never seen him flinch one time, no matter what. He’ll come back the next play like it didn’t happen.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh on Justin Herbert’s toughness
While Harbaugh praised his quarterback’s unflappable poise under pressure, he clearly believes the weekly pummeling is taking an unnecessary toll. “I think about it probably more than I think about anything, and I think about a lot of things,” he said of keeping Herbert upright and unscathed.
Pleading Their Case
Behind the scenes, the Chargers have taken their grievances directly to the league office. According to team sources, the club has submitted multiple plays to NFL headquarters in recent weeks seeking explanations for the baffling lack of flags.
Among the most egregious no-calls cited by Harbaugh was a vicious hit by Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu on Herbert during a scramble in Week 9. Despite clear helmet-to-helmet contact, no flags were thrown. A week earlier, officials missed an obvious facemask grab by Saints defensive tackle Bryan Bresee on a fourth quarter sack.
For a league that has made quarterback safety a point of emphasis for over a decade, the apparent indifference toward Herbert’s well-being raises troubling questions. Are certain star QBs given preferential treatment by the refs? Does a player’s size, strength or stoicism factor into which hits draw flags? At what point does the NFL step in to protect one of the game’s brightest young stars from serious injury?
Whistle Blowers
While Herbert himself has remained mostly silent on the escalating controversy, his head coach is more than willing to advocate on his behalf – even if it puts him in the crosshairs of the NFL front office.
“I do more than Justin does,” Harbaugh said of working the refs during games. “I mean, I’m a lesser man. I’m not ashamed to admit that.”
Whether Harbaugh’s public appeals for fairness and accountability will yield results remains an open question. But for a hard-nosed competitor like the Chargers coach, abandoning his quarterback is not an option.
“His protection? His safety? There’s probably nothing I think about more than that.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh on his top priority
As the NFL enters the stretch run of the regular season, all eyes will be on the officials to see if Herbert and the Chargers finally start getting the calls – and the respect – they deserve. With a potential playoff run hanging in the balance, LA’s golden arm needs all the protection he can get.
