After playing with a broken hand, sacked seven times, a week after surgery, Justin Herbert didn't want to do another meaningless, cliche-ridden interview. He tried to brush past ESPN sideline reporter Laura Rutledge.
"I'm trying to celebrate with my team," he said, trying at first to walk away.
The 5' 7" former Miss Florida posted up on the 6' 6" quarterback. "Well I know, but can we just talk to you really fast?" Herbert stopped, the bandages on his elbow spotted with blood.
"What was it like to watch the interception there that sealed this game for you guys to get this win?"
"Yeah, the defense played incredible. You know, they came up with so many big stops today. So proud to be able to play for those guys. The way they compete down in and down out is really fun to watch."
"You were dealing with a broken hand tonight, you gutted it, you were hit multiple times, how are you feeling right now?"
"Feel pretty good right now, thank you."
Justin Herbert did NOT wanna do this interview 😭
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) December 9, 2025
“I’m trying to celebrate with my teammates.” pic.twitter.com/nxF0f63vyF
The NFL is a show, just like Monday Night Raw and Saturday Night Live, and on-field interviews, unfortunately, are part of the script. Perhaps they shouldn't be. Rutledge's throwaway, cliche-ridden questions were as far from insight or information as 30 seconds could be.
Athletes don't want to do them, coaches don't want to do them, though they are subject to fines if they decline them. The reporter has a job to do, but she shouldn't be defended after doing it so ineptly.
The sole entertainment value of the exchange lay in its cringy awkwardness. Herbert hates this part of his job, which pays him $50 million a year. Rutledge needs camera time and viral moments to keep hers.
Alec Nolan, a news anchor for Fox7 in Texas, rushed to social media to defend Rutledge. He wrote on X, “I’m sorry I thought Justin Herbert was extremely rude to ESPN’s Laura Rutledge. You know the drill dude, you’re the QB. Big win for the Chargers, gut-wrenching loss for the Eagles.”
That may be the drill, but how many shots of Toradol does it take to endure it?
If this botched interview could be the death of sideline reporting, football fans would all be richer. Yet it hasn't been this accidentally entertaining since Chip Kelly told an Oregon fan to shut up.