Justin Herbert Called Out for Selling Sandwiches Rather Than Winning Games

As Spiderman's Uncle Ben famously explained, "With great power comes great responsibility." It's not clear if he was a football fan, but that quote could apply to playing quarterback in the NFL. Standing under center means you'll get plenty of fame and fortune, but the weight falls squarely on your shoulders when things don't go right.

Just ask Justin Herbert about that.

While the Los Angeles Chargers' signal-caller has the big-time contract that comes along with the "franchise quarterback" role, that money can't necessarily buy happiness. And, after the Bolts' Monday Night Football loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Herbert's performance came under fire. And, in somewhat of a Mad-Libs-style twist, his Subway commercials even entered the conversation.

Let's break it down.

Herbert Failed to Deliver and Is Feeling the Heat

Although Monday Night Football might not have the same panache it once did, playing in a standalone game still puts you in the national spotlight. A notable performance, whether that's good or bad, will influence the football-watching public's perception of your game. Unfortunately for Herbert, he couldn't come through in the clutch.

While he didn't play poorly per se—227 passing yards for two touchdowns and one interception—he was unable to execute with the game on the line. L.A. needed only a field goal on the game's final drive to send the game to overtime; a touchdown would have secured a win. Instead, he threw an interception, sending the Chargers below .500.

"I missed a couple of receivers, threw some bad passes," Herbert said after the game. "There was a lot left out there so there is a lot to work on and a lot to improve on."

That accountability may be positive, but it didn't stem the tide on social media.

Ed Werder, for example, took to X, formerly Twitter, and said that "Justin Herbert threw his 13th career interception in the 4th quarter of a one-score game tonight. That's 5 more than any other QB in the NFL since entering the league in 2020."

Elsewhere, Sports Illustrated's Matt Verderame asked what signature win or defining moment Herbert had produced during his NFL career.

Others, like user Xeinwins, used a more humorous approach to highlight the quarterback's shortcomings on the national stage: "Just had a dream Justin Herbert missed three wide-open deep balls and threw a game losing interception in the fourth quarter on prime time."

And, on sports radio, Ben Maller took aim squarely at the Chargers' star.

"We're six weeks into the NFL regular season. The Chargers are 2-3," he explained in a clip shared in a Fox Sports Radio tweet. "And there is a pattern that has clearly developed in all three of the losses for the LA football team here. Justin Herbert has had the ball in his hands. The team has asked him to make some plays down the field to score points and win the game. And Justin Herbert has failed in all three games."

Maller recounted the three losses, which came against Miami, Tennessee and now Dallas, before using those performances to question Herbert's role.

"That's your franchise quarterback right there," he continued. "That's your guy. That's your forever quarterback. What is that, Mac Jones out there running around? My god. The team giving him up to $262 million to, I assume, make plays like he did not make in the game against Dallas. And I sure see him a lot on TV trying to get me to buy sandwiches, but he might want to actually try to, I don't know, win a game at the end. That might help. He hadn't done that in a while here."

Herbert Isn't the Sole Issue, but Perception Matters

In fairness, not everyone was ripping the QB after the game. Beaver Bullpen, for example, wrote: "As a Beaver fan, I would have no issue saying Justin Herbert is the problem for LAC, but he's not the issue, ngl."

And while that tweet didn't specify where the other issues were, it's fair to look at head coach Brandon Staley's defense. They did the job on Monday Night, limiting Dallas to 20 points, but on the whole, they haven't delivered.

Despite having a theoretical defensive mastermind running the show and spending roughly $100 million on that side of the ball, the Chargers have allowed 391 yards per game, that's the second-worst average in the league. The group has also given up a league-worst 289 passing yards per contest. Things are a bit better on a points-per-game basis (24.8 per outing, which is 10th-worst in the NFL), but the overall image is clear: The Bolts could do better on that side of the ball.

Beyond that, it's also fair to include injuries, especially those to key offensive players, into the mix.

But, perception matters. It's tough to nail down exactly who is to blame for a leaky run defense; different players can blow coverage on each snap. When the offense stalls in key moments, though, the quarterback is squarely in the spotlight. And, when the signal-caller is 1) playing on a big-time contract, 2) starring in Subway commercials and 3) trying to keep pace with the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Joe Burrow, that spotlight is going to shine a bit brighter.

To be clear, it would be incredibly naive to suggest that Herbert's sandwich-selling commitments are affecting his on-field performance. When things aren't clicking on the field, though, any potential distraction, whether it's real or perceived, is going to become a target.

For better or worse, that's the life of a starting quarterback. You get the fame and fortune, but, if you don't deliver, the heat is on.