No one better understands how difficult it is to play quarterback at a high level in the National Football League than Washington Football Team quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.
Fitzpatrick is entering his 17th NFL season this week, playing for his ninth team.
So, Fitzpatrick can appreciate when a young quarterback enters the NFL and becomes a star almost immediately. Washington’s veteran quarterback said it was “ridiculous” what Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert accomplished as a rookie in 2020.
“What he did last year was ridiculous,” Fitzpatrick said after practice on Wednesday, per Ethan Cadeaux of NBC Sports Washington.
A first-round pick out of Oregon in the 2020 NFL draft, Herbert didn’t have an offseason with the Chargers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When he arrived at training camp, veteran Tyrod Taylor was the team’s starting quarterback.
That all changed in Week 2 when Taylor suffered a chest injury in pregame warmups against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Herbert would start the game against the defending world champions and passed for over 300 yards before the Chargers fell in overtime. From that point on, he never looked back.
Herbert would start for the rest of the season and eventually won the NFL offensive rookie of the year award. He completed almost 67% of his passes for 4,336 yards with 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.
“He did a great job last year,” Fitzpatrick said. “For me, watching some of these young guys come in and, you know, him last year, I marvel at how mature they are, how NFL-ready they are right away. What a great job that he did.”
Washington’s defense will have a big challenge in stopping Herbert and the Chargers in Week 1.