Justin Herbert set to make the same NFL history he's made the past four years

Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers has set NFL records for the most passing yards by a quarterback through his first two, three, four, and five seasons, and he is poised to break the six-season record in the 2025 campaign if he stays healthy. This would surpass the current record held by Hall of Famer Peyton Manning, whose early career statistics with the Indianapolis Colts were notably similar to Herbert's.

Herbert's journey began unexpectedly after being drafted sixth overall in 2020, as he did not start his rookie season as the Chargers' quarterback; veteran Tyrod Taylor was initially in the role following Philip Rivers' departure. However, after a Week 1 win, a team doctor accidentally punctured Taylor's lung while administering a painkiller for a rib injury, forcing Herbert into action, and he has remained the starter ever since.

In his rookie year, Herbert threw for 4,336 yards over the final 15 games, setting a Chargers rookie record but falling just 38 yards short of Andrew Luck's 2012 all-time NFL rookie record of 4,374 yards. Had Herbert started the season opener, he likely would have broken that record and extended his current streak by an additional season.

Herbert continued his record-breaking pace, becoming the first Chargers quarterback to throw for over 5,000 yards in a single season with 5,014 yards in 2021. This helped him set the two-season passing yards record at 9,350, significantly surpassing Luck's 8,196. He then set new benchmarks each subsequent year: 14,089 yards through three seasons (eclipsing Luck's 12,957), 17,223 through four seasons (surpassing Manning's 16,418), and 21,093 through five seasons (beating Manning's 20,618).

To claim the six-season record, Herbert needs 3,793 passing yards in the 2025 season, as Manning's total stands at 24,885 after his 2003 campaign. This goal is highly achievable given Herbert's career average of 4,218.6 yards per season over his first five years.