**Injury Woes Plague Chargers in Loss to Steelers**
Pittsburgh, PA – The Los Angeles Chargers suffered a tough 20-10 defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, but it was their quarterback’s health that stole the spotlight. Justin Herbert re-aggravated his high right ankle sprain in the loss and was seen leaving the stadium in a walking boot.
Herbert’s injury occurred when he was sacked by Steelers outside linebacker Elandon Roberts, causing him to limp noticeably. Despite attempting to continue playing, Herbert eventually limped off to the sideline, where trainers examined his ankle. He handed the reins over to backup quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who finished the game with 24 yards passing and two completions.
When asked about his decision to exit the game, Herbert said, “As a quarterback, it’s my job to give everything I can to my team and teammates. I pushed myself as hard as I could, but I knew I couldn’t go anymore. I had a tough time moving on it, and I knew Taylor gave us a better shot to win.”
Herbert initially suffered the high ankle sprain in last week’s win over the Carolina Panthers and only practiced once ahead of the Steelers game. He reported that his ankle had been growing increasingly sore throughout the game, but the pain intensified after the sack.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh considered benching Herbert altogether but felt confident in his quarterback’s progress after observing him practice on Saturday. “I’ve been in that position before – you give warriors a shot,” Harbaugh said. When Herbert limped off, Harbaugh immediately decided not to let him return, even if he asked.
The Chargers’ injury woes didn’t stop there. Outside linebacker Joey Bosa left the game in the first quarter with a hip injury, having played only two snaps. Bosa was limited to just 14 snaps in last week’s win over the Panthers due to a back injury. Left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a pectoral injury and spent most of the second half on the sideline, while right tackle Joe Alt sustained an ankle injury in the fourth quarter and was seen limping after the game.
Despite the setbacks, Herbert remains hopeful that he’ll be able to play against the Kansas City Chiefs next Sunday.
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