Dan Orlovsky Called Out Over Controversial Justin Herbert Opinion

When discussing the unexpected outcome of Week 1's biggest upset, the Arizona Cardinals' victory over the heavily favored Los Angeles Chargers featuring Justin Herbert, former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky found himself at the center of controversy. During a segment on ESPN 2's Unsportsmanlike with Evan Cohen, Chris Canty, and Michelle Smallmon, Orlovsky was questioned about his opinion on Herbert.

Cohen asked Orlovsky why he favored quarterbacks who had yet to achieve success compared to those who had, specifically referencing Herbert and Jalen Hurts. Hurts, a former Super Bowl-winning quarterback, led his team to a Week 1 triumph over the Washington Commanders, completing 14 of 25 passes for 203 yards and three touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown.

Orlovsky initially viewed Hurts through the lens of his college career and expressed confusion over the Eagles' decision to move on from Carson Wentz to Hurts. However, he claimed to have "removed any doubts" about Hurts after witnessing his NFL performance. Orlovsky stated that he was now a fan of Hurts, emphasizing that Herbert's performance was what one would expect from a top-tier quarterback. He admitted that Hurts' Week 1 performance was "awful," but maintained that he was a "Hurts guy" now.

Orlovsky, known for his support of Herbert, had previously expressed his preference for the Chargers over the Chiefs on The Pat McAfee Show. Ahead of the NFL season, he predicted that Herbert would be a top-five MVP contender, praising the Chargers' offensive unit. In Week 1, Herbert completed 17 of 27 passes for 209 yards and one touchdown but threw an interception in the surprising 26-14 loss to the Cardinals.

Despite drawing praise from sports analysts as one of the top NFL quarterbacks, Herbert has yet to secure a postseason win, going 0-3 in his attempts so far.