Chargers’ Jim Harbaugh Has High Praise for Justin Herbert Amid Upset Against Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh had plenty to be happy about with his quarterback on Friday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers scrambles for the first down in the fourth quarter during the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Sept. 5, 2025. Buda Mendes /Getty Images

Justin Herbert provided an exclamation point for the Los Angeles Chargers when he slid on a 19-yard run to seal a 27–24 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Friday.

“We knew it was going to be a dogfight, so we showed up today with our best effort,” Herbert told reporters afterward. “It was fun to see.”

Herbert ended the Chargers’ seven-game losing streak against the defending AFC Champions as he completed 73.5 percent of his passes for 318 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for 32 yards on seven carries, and Herbert only took three sacks.

“Justin was phenomenal today in every way with pinpoint accuracy,” Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters afterward. “I thought he did a great job with his legs and running at the end, sealing the game.”

“Just overall toughness and just complete stalwart. He took some big hits and gave a few shots himself,” Harbaugh continued. “It was incredible quarterback play today.”

Los Angeles never trailed as Herbert led a scoring drive on his team’s first possession. He completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a 7–0 lead, and the Chargers added to that in the second quarter with a 39-yard field goal by kicker Cameron Dicker.

Kansas City only managed field goals from kicker Harrison Butker in the first half, and the Chargers stayed ahead by a touchdown at the half thanks to Dicker’s 36-yard field goal in the final minute of the half.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes rallied his team in the third quarter with an 11-yard touchdown run, which cut the Chargers’ lead to 13–12. Herbert didn’t back down as he led a 12-play, 74-yard drive capped by an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Keenan Allen for a 20–12 lead.

Kansas City didn’t go away in the fourth quarter as Mahomes connected with tight end Travis Kelce for a 37-yard touchdown pass, which pulled their team within two, 20–18. Once again, Herbert answered with an 11-play, 74-yard scoring drive, which he finished with a 23-yard touchdown pass to Johnston, 27–18.

Kansas City once again showed life with a 27-yard field goal by Butker, but Herbert drove the Chargers 29 yards on the following drive in the final 2:34 to seal the win.

“I was trying to get the ball to Q and they ended up doubling him,” Herbert told reporters afterward. “I figured it was man coverage, so there was no one for me, so just escaped the pocket. I saw nobody in front of me, so I just slid and got the first down.”

Herbert hadn’t led the Chargers to a win over the Chiefs since 2021, and only three of his seven defeats against the Chiefs were by fewer than 10 points. Kansas City has owned the AFC West with nine straight division titles, and the Chiefs have been to the Super Bowl five times in that span. Herbert didn’t dwell on the significance of the win being against the Chiefs, however.

“This was an important one because it was the first one,” Herbert said. “It’s a very good opponent that we are going against and obviously have a lot of respect for them.”

“But I’m happy the way that all three phases executed today. That’s what our goal was, and it was good to see,” he added.

The Chargers can build momentum in the AFC West with a key Week 2 game on Sept. 15 when they visit the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football. Kansas City, meanwhile, will need to regroup after the loss with the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles around the corner for Week 2.

“This will be a big lesson for us,” Mahomes told reporters afterward. “They definitely came out with more energy than we did. We got to get better from the start.”