Herbert sits out Chargers' practice with ailing ankle, thigh

EL SEGUNDO, Calif -- Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said Wednesday he suffered a sprained left ankle in the team's 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Herbert sat out practice Wednesday because of the ankle injury, as well as a thigh contusion also suffered against the Chiefs. He said he wasn't sure of the severity of the sprain.

Herbert previously suffered a high right ankle sprain in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers, forcing him to wear a walking boot. He didn't miss any games but was significantly hobbled until after the Chargers' Week 5 bye.

"I would say that this one is probably not as severe," he said. "It's definitely painful enough to be able to miss a practice, but I feel like I've been able to move around a little bit better this week than I did after Carolina, where I was put into a boot and had difficulty walking."

The ankle injury happened on the Chargers' opening drive against the Chiefs. On third down, Herbert scrambled and was tackled by defensive end Mike Danna, who landed on his ankle. Herbert limped off the field, and the NBC broadcast showed him grimacing on the sideline while athletic trainers taped his left ankle.

"It was difficult to play with," Herbert said. "It was one of those things that we kind of talked about where we kind of limited some of the runs. I didn't feel great running out the pocket."

The thigh contusion occurred late in the second quarter against the Chiefs. Herbert leaped to make a throw downfield and was hit midair by linebacker Nick Bolton. Bolton's elbow smashed into Herbert's left lower thigh, and the QB was on the ground in apparent pain for moments with athletic trainers before eventually limping to the sideline.

Herbert missed the Chargers' next play but returned and finished the game without any apparent restrictions.

Before practice Wednesday, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said he wanted Herbert to rest and have his injuries addressed by the athletic training staff. Still, he joked that Herbert might overrule him because of his work ethic.

"He's one of those types of guys where football is the treatment, is the medicine," Harbaugh said.

Herbert, though, instead worked with the team's medical staff.

"If I felt like I could have practiced it at 100 percent and make sure that everyone's getting the full-speed rep, I definitely would've," he said. "I didn't think I was able to do that. Trainers didn't think I was able to do that today, so we were all on the same page with that."

It's been an injury-laden season for Herbert, who missed two weeks of training camp with a plantar fascia injury in his right foot, navigated the high right ankle sprain and now will attempt to play through a thigh contusion and another sprained ankle.

Herbert has had significant injuries before. A fractured index finger in his throwing hand ended his season in Week 14 last year. He also fractured rib cartilage in 2022.

By comparison, Herbert said he was optimistic about this ankle injury.

"It could be a lot worse," he said.