Chargers' Justin Herbert Out for Remainder of 2023 NFL Season with Finger Injury

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is going to miss the remainder of the 2023 season.

The team announced Tuesday that Herbert will undergo surgery to repair a right index finger fracture. Easton Stick will take over as the starter in his absence.

Herbert suffered the injury in the second quarter of Sunday's 24-7 loss to the Denver Broncos.

Head coach Brandon Staley told reporters after the game his quarterback fractured his right index finger, but the team wasn't going to rule him out for Thursday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"It's obviously tough," Herbert said on Sunday. "You feel bad for hanging the team out like that. You never want to be taken out of the game ... it is something that we'll know more as the week goes on and if there's any chance to play, I'll do everything I can to be out there."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Monday that Herbert would likely undergo surgery and his status for the rest of the season would be determined by what doctors discovered during the procedure.

This will mark the first time in Herbert's career he's missed a game due to injury. The 25-year-old has started 62 consecutive games since making his NFL debut in Week 2 of the 2020 season. Josh Allen is the only quarterback with a longer active streak of consecutive starts (84).

The Chargers will go with Stick as their quarterback on a short week against the Raiders. He went 13-of-24 for 179 yards in relief of Herbert on Sunday. It was the first time he's appeared in a game since Week 7 of the 2020 season.

Stick was a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft after a successful four-year career at North Dakota State.

The Chargers (5-8) are still alive in the AFC playoff race, but they have a steep hill to climb with only four games remaining in the regular season. There are six teams with identical 7-6 records ahead of them also vying for the final two wild-card spots.

Herbert will finish this season with 3,134 yards, 20 touchdowns, seven interceptions and a 65.1 completion percentage in 13 games.