The Los Angeles Chargers have the talent to make a Super Bowl run in 2026. However, the team needs to improve its run game, which could bring out the best in Justin Herbert. 

In a recent podcast on June 17 on the Yahoo Sports YouTube channel, analysts explained that the Chargers’ run game could be the biggest factor in their Super Bowl chances, especially Herbert's run game.  

“We haven’t seen Justin Herbert with a consistent run game,” Bill Barnwell said. “We haven’t seen him with tackles last year, and it just feels like there is an actual explosive, reliable run game…” 

The discussion happened on Football 301 with Nate Tice, where Barnwell and his co-hosts were talking about teams that could make a major improvement in the upcoming season.

Since joining the league in 2020, Justin Herbert has been one of the best-performing quarterbacks in the NFL. He has thrown over 24,000 passing yards and more than 160 touchdowns in his career, with around a 66% completion rate. 

However, even with his strong performance, the Chargers have not been able to build a balanced offense around him. They have had one of the weakest run games in the league, often ranking near the bottom, at 28th to 30th, in rushing success rate across seasons. 

The front office aggressively addressed these depth limitations by utilizing their 2025 first-round draft selection on explosive running back Omarion Hampton to serve as the new focal point of the backfield

Because of this imbalance, attention inside the coaching staff has now shifted toward McDaniel’s plan to improve Herbert’s footwork and passing efficiency as well.  

McDaniel focuses on Justin Herbert’s footwork 

The offseason plan for Justin Herbert focuses on small changes in his footwork during minicamp, with Mike McDaniel playing a key role in shaping the approach. 

“From my standpoint, I put a ton of pressure on myself and the rest of the coaching staff that this is a player as good as any I’ve worked with. How can we help him get even better?” McDaniel said, as per Vincent Bonsignore of Yahoo Sports.

McDaniel feels Herbert’s footwork needs a change to help him release the ball faster. He suggested placing the left foot in front of the right, a technique he and Kyle Shanahan came up with earlier. 

To successfully wire these left-foot-forward mechanical adjustments into his muscle memory, Herbert spent portions of mandatory OTAs throwing a massive exercise ball to prioritize lower-body sequencing over raw arm volume

Improving both the run game and Herbert’s play could be key for the Chargers if they want to turn Super Bowl expectations into reality in 2026. 

Do you think these changes will be enough for the Chargers to make a real Super Bowl run? 

Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

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Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi