Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert 'didn't want to quit on the team' in 38-10 home loss

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — It was an embarrassing loss for the Los Angeles Chargers, made spectacular only by one incredibly befuddling decision.

With 4:54 remaining in a 38-10 beatdown by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert — 10 days removed from suffering a fracture to his rib cartilage — trotted onto the field at SoFi Stadium to play a final series.

«He wanted to be out there with his teammates,» Chargers coach Brandon Staley said. «He felt good and he wanted to finish the game.»

Reporters asked Staley 20 questions during a seven-minute and 30-second postgame news conference. More than half of the questions were about Herbert and the risk the franchise quarterback faced by remaining in the game.

«I understand your entire line of questioning, I understand it,» Staley said. «Justin is going to be feeling like this when he is out there playing. This injury is going to be there for awhile. If you guys know the injury, it's not like it's going to feel better next week or the week after that. This thing is going to be present for awhile. He felt good today and we're going to continue to manage it the best we can.»

Staley said he «definitely» had a conversation with Herbert about remaining in the game and confirmed that the quarterback was adamant that he wanted to continue.

«I just didn't want to quit on the team,» Herbert said.

When asked if he needed to protect the franchise quarterback, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 draft who the organization has built a Super-Bowl caliber roster around, from himself, Staley said, «For sure.»

«Throughout the entire game, that's the first thought throughout the game and at the end of the game, so trust me, there's no one that's thinking about it more than I am,»