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Why Jim Harbaugh & Justin Herbert Are Top 5 Duo in the NFL

The two led the Chargers to the playoffs in their first season together and vaulted into the top five of Sports Illustrated's rankings

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It was quite the debut season for Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert in 2024.

The head coach-quarterback duo clicked from the start, leading to a big one-year turnaround that saw the Chargers win 11 games and make the postseason in the first season of a new regime while garnering praise from pundits around the league.

But where do they rank among the league's best duos?

In Sports Illustrated's annual examination of the league's top head coach and quarterback duos, the Chargers were near the top of the list.

The pairing of Harbaugh (the No. 7 head coach) and Herbert (the No. 8 QB) came in at No. 4 overall on Matt Verderame's rankings.

After the success the two led the Bolts to in Year 1 of the connection, Verderame is looking for them to take it a step further in 2025.

Verderame wrote:

Los Angeles is trying to overcome the perception that talent exists, but results do not. Last season, Herbert only threw three interceptions during the year but had four in the Chargers' wild-card blowout loss in Houston. This year, it's all about finally winning a postseason game and threatening the Chiefs in the AFC West.

Check out the best photos from OTA #1 of the Chargers 2025 offseason

The Bolts were one of four teams on Verderame's list to have both the head coach and quarterback ranked in the top 10, respectively.

They also improved their standing from a season ago when they ranked sixth in the rankings.

The combination of Harbaugh and Herbert gathered the attention of those around the league, as another big season from the two could vault them to threaten the top spot.

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