Chargers coach Anthony Lynn announces Justin Herbert will be starting QB for rest of 2020 season
Los Angeles Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn announced on Thursday that rookie Justin Herbert will be the team’s starting quarterback for the rest of 2020, replacing Tyrod Taylor.
Justin Herbert will be starting for the #chargers moving forward. Anthony Lynn just announced it.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 8, 2020
Herbert has been starting ever since a Chargers team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor’s lung while administering a shot of pain medication. Taylor had to go to the hospital to deal with a collapsed lung while Herbert was tasked with starting the game with just minutes before kickoff.
This move seemed inevitable. Even though the Chargers have lost all three of Herbert’s starts, he’s looked like a future star. The Chargers drafted Herbert sixth overall in the 2020 draft, and it wasn’t because they wanted him to back up Taylor for his entire career. Herbert starting was obviously the long-term plan, but Lynn and the Chargers obviously didn’t think it would happen so soon.
More bad luck for Tyrod Taylor
This was a no-win situation for Lynn, who had to choose between standing behind the starter who got injured through no fault of his own, or the rookie who has proven himself on the field. After Taylor got hurt, Lynn repeatedly said that he would still be the starter after he had healed. However, Herbert’s on-field performance continued to make that an issue, and Lynn decided to rip the bandaid off and have a difficult conversation with Taylor.
#Chargers coach Anthony Lynn says that QB Tyrod Taylor is still working his way back, but that it was difficult to tell Taylor that he had lost his job. He says “it is time now,” to let Justin be the starter.
— Fernando Ramirez (@RealFRamirez) October 8, 2020
Taylor’s had some bad luck in the NFL. He gets his first chance to consistently start since he was with the Buffalo Bills in 2017, and it ends because a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung. That’s only the latest reason Taylor has lost a starting job.
Tyrod Taylor has now lost his starting job three times:
1. To Nathan Peterman in Buffalo (for one game)
2. To Baker Mayfield after a concussion
3. To Justin Herbert after a team doctor accidentally punctured his lung
A string of unfortunate luck. https://t.co/qGHu5cFiJo— Field Yates (@FieldYates) October 8, 2020
Taylor still isn’t back up to 100 percent, but it seems like he’s close. Even if he is healthy and active on Monday when the Chargers face the New Orleans Saints, he’ll be backing up his former backup.
Tyrod Taylor will practice this week. And if healthy enough will be Justin Herbert’s back up on Monday night in New Orleans.
— James Palmer (@JamesPalmerTV) October 8, 2020
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