While Justin Herbert is a talented man, he is no Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes has more wins in his back pocket, more Super Bowls (Herbert has zero SB wins) and is overall a better talent on the field. However, former Chiefs QB and Mahomes’ mentor, Alex Smith, has stated that he has never seen a more impressive player in person than Herbert.
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Speaking on Sirius XM NFL Radio, Smith, who has around 25 years of experience in the NFL and mentored many, including Mahomes, explained that Herbert is “wired the right way”:
“I’ve been around a lot of quarterbacks, Bruce. Like in person, you know, 25 years, and there’s a lot of… This guy, I have never seen a more impressive dude in person. Like, this guy is a donus. And he’s wired the right way—he’s incredibly humble, hardworking, and can do it all.”
It’s worth noting that Smith’s “never seen a more impressive dude” remark, despite working with Mahomes during his formative years with the Chiefs, suggests he rates Herbert on the same level, or even higher than Mahomes.
Smith further explained why Herbert deserves a special place in the AFC, which is dominated by superstar QBs like Lamar Jackson. Notably, Herbert, who has already thrown 14 touchdowns and covered over 2,200 yards for the Chargers this season, is giving tough competition to Mahomes, and others.
“In an AFC where you have these larger-than-life quarterbacks—Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, and Joe Burrow—and now CJ Stroud emerging, you need a guy who can go toe-to-toe with them. And Justin Herbert is that.”
Smith also cited the Jim Harbaugh factor, which could help him develop the same way Mahomes has done with Andy Reid since 2017.
“This guy is an absolute monster. I think he has been, and I think the whole country is going to be aware of it real soon because of Jim Harbaugh and what they are doing.”
These honest words, coming from an expert who helped nurture Mahomes, will likely motivate Herbert as he continues to rise in the NFL.
