‘That’s Not an Apology,’ ‘Somebody Had to Say It’ — NFL Fans Take Notice as Quentin Lake Walks Back Slanderous Take on Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Rams safety Quentin Lake sent Justin Herbert a text apologizing for what he said on a podcast about the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback’s throws, the Los Angeles Times reported Friday. Fans have pushed back on the apology, however, some over how he delivered it and others because they think he had nothing to apologize for in the first place.

The remark and the apology come during a trying season for Herbert, a two-time Pro Bowl selection whose Chargers sit 0-7 and last in the AFC West. Lake made the comment on “The St. Brown Podcast,” three days after Lake intercepted Herbert in the Rams’ 24-9 win at SoFi Stadium.

What Quentin Lake Said About Justin Herbert and Why He Texted an Apology

Lake made the comments to hosts Amon-Ra St. Brown, the Detroit Lions receiver, and Amon-Ra’s brother Equanimeous St. Brown, a former NFL receiver. Lake laughed as he summed up Herbert’s afternoon.

“He was throwing deli meat out there. He’s seeing ghosts,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on, but we knew we were gonna get a couple. At least one.“

Herbert finished that game 24 of 32 for 257 yards with two interceptions, one to Lake and the other to Trent McDuffie. By Friday, Lake had followed up privately with the text. In his interview with the Times, he explained why: “I … felt like it was right for me to at least say, ‘Hey, man, I didn’t mean it in any disrespectful way.’”

One fan took aim at the way Lake went about it: “Criticizes publicly but apologize in private. That’s not an apology. That’s for Lake to feel better about himself.”

@ProFootballTalk Criticizes publicly but apologize in private. That’s not an apology. That’s for Lake to feel better about himself

— Ride Or Die Chargers ⚡️ (@SocialMediaHerb) November 7, 2026

While the apology came by text, Lake also discussed the remark on the record in that interview, so his explanation is public even if the message he sent is not.

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Another fan was no more impressed with the delivery: “Weak way of reaching out. Who knows if he even had the right number lol. Do all the players have everyone’s number?”

@ProFootballTalk Weak way of reaching out.
Who knows if he even had the right number lol. Do all the players have everyone’s number?

— Bolt⚡Jolt (@Boltjolt) November 7, 2026

Other fans took the opposite side, siding with Lake’s original assessment of Herbert’s day over the text that followed.

One fan put it bluntly: “Man, don’t apologize. He was right.”

@ProFootballTalk Man don’t apologize. He was right.

— David Robertson (@daverdfw) November 8, 2026

Herbert’s struggles go beyond that one afternoon against the Rams. Through seven games, he has thrown 5 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions, and his 69.3 passer rating ranks 30th of 31 qualified quarterbacks. Herbert ranks dead last (35th of 35 eligible quarterbacks) in Pro Football Network’s NFL QB Impact Score.

Another fan made the same case: “Nah no need for apologies, somebody had to say it lol.”

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Another fan agreed that Lake didn’t owe an apology but turned to the Chargers organization.

“He shouldn’t apologize. The Chargers org needs to be embarrassed for what they’ve done to Herbert,” they wrote.

@ProFootballTalk He shouldn’t apologize. The chargers org needs to be embarrassed for what they’ve done to Herbert

— Marquis Q (@Mdazzler87) November 7, 2026

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was asked about Lake’s comments on Wednesday afternoon, the day the episode came out, and he saw Herbert’s day differently.

“As far as anybody else’s opinion, I don’t see that. Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. … It’s not what I see,” Harbaugh said. In his Times interview, Lake also called Herbert “still a great quarterback.”

Herbert returns to SoFi Stadium on Sunday when the winless Chargers host the Houston Texans, his first game since Lake’s comments and apology became public.