With Justin Herbert out for the season due to injury, Easton Stick has stepped into the role of the Chargers’ starting QB. According to Sportrac, Stick stands to earn $1,800,000 annually with the LA Chargers. He’s spent his entire career with the Chargers and signed a one-year deal with the team ahead of the 2023 season, which includes a $152,500 signing bonus and $1,152,500 in total guarantees.
The contract extension came on the tail of his rookie contract expiring, just as he was about to hit free agency. Stick made his first career start in Week 15 after Herbert’s finger injury, his first start since his college days. His first start was also his first loss as a starter as he was 23 of 32 for 257 yards and three touchdowns with one interception as the Chargers’ went down 63-21 to the Las Vegas Raiders.
He is the 53rd-highest-paid quarterback in terms of average annual value (AAV), per OverTheCap.com. His $1.8 million contract extension puts him on pace to total career earnings of $5.06 million, per Spotrac.com. The highest he made as a rookie with the Chargers was in 2022 at $965,000.
Stick has gotten a chance to prove himself for the first time since getting drafted into the NFL as he spent most of his time as a third-string quarterback. Thus far, however, he’s only tasted defeat, his latest loss coming against the Buffalo Bills today. While his NFL career has been underwhelming at best, and non-existent at worst, he enjoyed quite a prolific college career.
Easton Stick Steps Into the Spotlight, Five Years Later
Stick said “he’s used to winning,” as he was thrust into the role of starter after Herbert’s injury. And that’s fair considering his college career, marked with a stupendous 49-3 record, the most wins in FSC history. He finished his North Dakota State career with 8,693 passing yards, 88 passing touchdowns, and just 28 interceptions: another career record.
His NFL start did come, albeit 5 years later, and became a bittersweet moment for the QB as he told the Los Angeles Times,
“Obviously, this isn’t how I envisioned it. When they selected me five years ago, this is what you want as a kid — an opportunity to go play. I’m excited for that.”
Stick won 49 games and four national titles in college, but he is 0-2 in the NFL. He might be used to winning but the NFL is quite literally the big leagues and Stick understands that. He told the LA Times that he has “no nerves” about stepping into Justin Herbert’s shoes, hope that’s still the case after his second straight loss.
