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TJ Ward blames Madison Beer for Justin Herbert's struggles.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has struggled in 2026. His team is currently 0-2 with losses to the Raiders and Cardinals. Herbert has more interceptions than touchdown passes.
Former NFL pro TJ Ward placed the blame directly on fiancée Madison Beer. He insinuated that she will leave him if he continues to underperform.
Those comments have sparked a firestorm of reaction on social media. Most believe Ward overstepped by talking about Herbert’s family.
Justin Herbert has not played well.
The signal caller entered the year regarded as one of the NFL’s top playmakers. To this point, he’s failed to live up to expectations.
Herbert is winless as a starter with a 59% completion rate and three interceptions. He threw for 209 yards while being sacked three times in a season-opening loss to Arizona. That was followed by a two-pick day against Las Vegas.
Both games were lost, 26-14. Criticism has followed. There are even talks of a potential trade.
Los Angeles drafted Herbert in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. It’s unlikely they’d move on after one slow start. He’s led the Chargers to the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
With that said, the team is searching for answers in order to upgrade his play in 2026. That could rely on more focus in the film room and at practice. It might be linked to play calling. It could come in the form of adding another offensive weapon to the roster.
There are many that insist the blame doesn’t rest on Herbert, alone. The offense as a whole has struggled. His surrounding cast leaves a lot to be desired.
Chris Simms says the wideout room is simply not talented enough to compete. It’s put the passer in a bad situation. He has to be Superman in every game. Justin Herbert is the offense.
As is often the case, though, when things go poorly, the quarterback is the first person blamed. The noise is loud surrounding his early season struggles.
Former NFL safety TJ Ward suggests off-field distractions are weighing as heavily as on-field issues.
TJ Ward blames Madison Beer.
Beer is an American singer-songwriter and television personality that first gained media attention after Justin Bieber posted a link to her cover of “At Last” in 2012.
She now boasts 39.4 million followers on Instagram and another 21 million on TikTok.
View this profile on Instagram
The artist/influencer began dating Justin Herbert in 2025. Rumors of a relationship swirled in August of last year when the quarterback showed up on set of a music video.
A year later, the duo got engaged.
Since making their relationship public, Herbert’s career has been up and down. The Chargers won 11 games last year, but the passer recorded the highest interception rate of his career. This year’s struggles have already been noted.
TJ Ward, who played eight NFL seasons with the Broncos, Browns, and Bucs, says there’s been one common denominator in the dropoff. He blames Beer.
Social media reacts to Justin Herbert-Madison Beer narrative.
“When you get a girl, the little extra time you demand spending on your craft, she’s demanding it,” Ward said on the Speakeasy podcast. “There’s going to be a downfall coming. You’re going to get worse…
“The time you’re on the couch watching film, she’s gonna be all up under you. The time you spend your Friday nights at home, she wants to go to dinner. The time you’re rehabbing or staying late in the facility… now, you’ve got to go home and kick it with your girlfriend, especially if she’s famous. Now, you’ve got cameras on you. Your offseason is in Europe and taking photoshoots….
“As soon as you start having a lack of success, Justin, this girl, Beer, she’s using you, buddy. She’s going to be out of there… Get back on your craft. She’s ruining it.”
Some Chargers fans share that outlook. They were furious after seeing Madison Beer present at preseason practice in August. Most listeners, however, believe Ward went too far by bringing the relationship into the conversation.
“Speaking on another man’s future wife and relationship is disgusting,” wrote one social media user. “Please delete this platform.”
“This was so weird,” said another.
“Always keep it between the lines… always in the field and what the film shows… never bring something from the family or personal stuff,” commented this user.
“By this logic, everyone in the NFL should be single because their girlfriend could be a distraction,” replied another fan in response to Ward’s commentary.
Even former NFL players disagreed. Breiden Fehoko, who spent three seasons with the Chargers alongside Herbert, posted the following message.
Lame… All you clowns at Speakeasy… Give a sports opinion, cool. Y’all got no clue how to read a room… Stop talking about people’s family. If it’s football, leave it at that.
Ward’s comments about Justin Herbert and Madison Beer rubbed the majority of viewers the wrong way. Analysis should be kept to the football field. Personal relationships are a no-no.
Herbert will look to block out the noise this week with a matchup vs. the Bills looming.