Justin Herbert loses the blue in his eyes, hoping it will improve his play
The Chargers quarterback is testing out small tech to boost his precision, but league approval is still pending.
One of the most coveted traits in NFL quarterbacks is accuracy – and Justin Herbert wants that to be his calling card. The Los Angeles Chargers QB ranks eighth among active players in completion percentage, having connected on 66.5% of his career passes, and he could push that number even higher with the help of some special contact lenses.
Why is Herbert changing lenses?
Herbert wore red-tinted lenses during the first day of Chargers training camp – lenses designed to protect his blue eyes from UV rays. After practice, he said he began wearing them during rookie minicamp.
“They’re like sunglasses. I didn’t have to squint as much,” the quarterback said, according to Kris Rhim of ESPN. “When I stepped into the huddle, I think a few of the guys were a little surprised. I think they were thinking, ‘Oh, we’re about to score.’”
The Oregon alum had previously tried using a tinted visor on his helmet in past seasons. But he found it impractical, as it constantly needed to be wiped down between plays due to sweat and grass.
Herbert still needs league approval
Despite the early success, Herbert still needs NFL clearance to wear the red lenses in regular-season games. The league could consider them a competitive advantage, as they improve visibility in bright conditions.
The quarterback had a standout 2024 season, throwing just three interceptions over 17 regular-season games – leading the NFL in lowest interception rate at just 0.6% of pass attempts. Only Lamar Jackson came close, with four interceptions on 474 throws, for a 0.8% rate.
Maybe Herbert was just inspired by Dua Lipa and wanted to Be The One.
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