With any professional position comes the assumption that you must hold some leadership abilities and be outspoken. Even in the public relations world comes the intimidation that one has to be a fantastic communicator who is outgoing and willing to put themselves out there to get the job done. The sports world is the pinnacle of what is supposed to represent leaders who constantly give rousing speeches and pump up the team. However, often people don’t realize that quiet and reserved people are leaders in their own right. One prime example is Los Angeles Chargers Quarterback Justin Herbert.
The ESPN article “‘A silent killer with great hair’: How Justin Herbert helped turn the L.A. Chargers around,” written by Tim Keown dives deep into the inner circle of Chargers players and coaches’ thoughts on why Herbert’s modest and reserved attitude makes him an invaluable player despite the critiques from sports analysts. Herbert has also been called shy because of his lack of social media use, press conference interviews and hiding from the Chargers’ social media team cameras. Still somehow, Emmanuel Acho a former NFL linebacker turned Fox Sports 1 analyst called Herbert a “social media quarterback” because he thinks that his talent only amounts to one or two great plays that get shared from a game but leave out any mistakes. This jab comes with irony because of how little it represents Herbert especially when so many other players get the same treatment and love it. The difference is that Justin Herbert drowns out the noise and would likely prefer them not to share his highlights.
Keown’s interviewed the Chargers’ defensive lineman Breiden Fehoko who says “We’ve told him, ‘Justin, you’ve got to stop being so modest…’ He’s just too nice, and he doesn’t like being in the spotlight… He’s a humble, silent killer with great hair.”
A silent killer can be just as deadly if not more so than a loud one. Maybe that’s why Acho and his running mouth only kept him in the NFL for three years.
Herbert continues to make strides by helping the team to their first playoff appearance in four years and holding the record for most passing yards through his first three seasons after earning the NFL Rookie of the Year award in 2020. Yet Herbert doesn’t let it get to his head and continues thinking about what he could improve.
People mistake Herbert’s shy demeanor for weakness when in actuality it’s what got him this far and has kept him breaking records and winning awards. Being a reserved and focused person in your profession should be revered because it shows restraint, focus and how humble a person one is. No matter what your profession is, everyone should strive to be like Herbert: a silent killer with great hair.