The changes we witnessed in the Chargers this season were far from unwarranted. Both sides of the ball were bolstered during free agency and the NFL draft. The club and quarterback Justin Herbert gained strength with the arrival of head coach Jim Harbaugh. But there’s one aspect that caught almost everyone by surprise: Herbert’s appearance, which, for fans, has changed overnight.
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When Justin Herbert made his NFL debut in 2020, he impressed everyone with his Offensive Rookie of the Year performance and captured the hearts of many with his long and wavy brown hair.
He has been rocking the same hairstyle for years, but when ESPN shared a series of pictures and clips on Instagram of Herbert making throws during the Chargers’ training camp on Friday, the star QB looked like a completely different person.
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The Chargers quarterback has cut his long hair short and is now sporting a messy look. While it suits him, fans were quick to note that his aura was different when he had those long blond locks. Moreover, some remarked on how Herbert appears much younger now, while others began comparing his new look to that of legendary quarterback Tom Brady. See for yourselves:
NFL fans buzzing over Justin Herbert’s fresh look! https://t.co/euUIVRkIs9 pic.twitter.com/I8UQQff2T5
— humansofnfl (@anikets67918182) May 18, 2024
Perhaps Justin Herbert is only experimenting with his hair and might change his look again in the coming months. Moreover, while a fresh haircut can sometimes feel weird, give it a month or two, and he will be back to looking as dashing as ever.
Looking Back at Justin Herbert’s Surprising Rookie Season Makeover
It is not the first time Justin Herbert has managed to shock his fans with a weird hairstyle. In his rookie season with the Los Angeles Chargers, he spent the first eight weeks with chin-length hair and a goatee. But he had a complete transformation when he appeared at a press conference in the middle of the season with short, trimmed hair. He ended up looking like a 14-year-old boy, at the age of 22.
How it started: How it’s going: pic.twitter.com/UDwug0EamF
— Billy Heyen (@BillyHeyen) November 18, 2020
The Athletic’s senior writer, Daniel Popper, reported back then that Justin Herbert’s look wasn’t styled by his barber. Instead, it was the Chargers’ strength and conditioning coach, John Lott, who was responsible for Herbert’s buzz cut. While Chargers fans did not approve of his hairstyle initially, Justin Herbert still believed that Lott had done a good job with the clippers.
However, by the next season, he was back to his original look. Now, after three long years, he has again decided to cut his hair short. Herbert is looking for change as he faced immense pressure last season, ending with the worst record of his career at 5-8, as per Pro Football Reference.
With his new hairstyle, a new head coach, and strong support in the offensive lineup, Justin Herbert is set to make a fresh start. Let’s see how the star quarterback performs in the next season.
