The Justin Herbert hurdle: What Jordan Love needs to do

There’s still a gap between Justin Herbert and Jordan Love. And it goes beyond just numbers.

Herbert has a far more established track record. He’s up to 24,820 career passing yards with 163 touchdowns and 58 interceptions. Love, meanwhile, has put together 11,535 yards, 83 touchdowns, and 31 picks.

The workload difference isn’t small. Love’s numbers are efficient, but Herbert has been carrying that kind of volume for much longer.

And then there’s the physical profile. Herbert checks every box: size, arm strength, command of the pocket. He looks exactly how teams want a franchise quarterback to look on paper.

2025 stats highlight how close the gap is

Love has a strong case based on 2025 alone. He was more efficient, threw fewer picks, and gave the Packers steadier play than some had predicted.

Herbert’s year was less consistent. His 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions are solid numbers, but he didn’t match Love’s level of efficiency.

The context matters, though. Herbert dealt with a left-hand injury and played behind an unstable offensive line—a point even highlighted by the Chargers’ own coverage of the season.

This isn’t an easy call. Love had the edge in efficiency last year, while Herbert still brings a larger body of work to the table.

Neither side has ended the discussion

The postseason results keep both quarterbacks from being called elite without some pushback. Herbert is still looking for his first playoff win, while Love has just one so far.

After the Chargers’ loss, Herbert admitted he “wasn’t good enough,” and that kind of outcome tends to stick until a player changes the narrative. Love also hasn’t yet shown he can take Green Bay all the way through a tight NFC playoff race.

This is where things stand: Love is on the rise, and Herbert is still viewed as the stronger overall talent. But neither has done enough in January to settle the debate.

Gannon’s optimism about Love was well-placed. Green Bay has every reason to believe they’ve found their long-term answer at quarterback, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if his best years are still to come.

The comparison with Herbert just brings a bit of perspective. There’s no rush to put Love ahead of quarterbacks who have already carried a bigger load in this league.

Until Love turns that efficiency into a deeper postseason run, Herbert remains the line he still has to cross.

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