Former Justin Herbert teammate calls on former Oregon QB to ‘relax a bit’

File this one in the category of Strange and Unusual quotes.

Earlier this week, Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who played for the Los Angeles Chargers for just one season, felt it necessary to go on the record and tell the world how he thinks Justin Herbert should handle his business going forward.

Van Noy told Fox Sports’ Eric Williams that he thinks the former Oregon quarterback should "relax a bit" for the coming seasons and beyond.

"I do think he’s doing some things. He would go to team dinners, but I think he could also do more," Van Noy said. "And that’s just me from my year of being with him. He’s still young. And I’m sure he’s way better now than since I was there. But that was just something he could do more."

This is coming from a player who hasn't been Herbert's teammate for almost three years. The Chargers have since changed coaching regimes, and Herbert had a career season in 2024. Despite a disappointing first-round exit a season ago, many think the Chargers could be possible Super Bowl contenders in 2025.

Van Noy acknowledges that Herbert works harder than most in the NFL, but for some reason, that's a detriment.

"You’ve already accomplished so much. I know he wants to accomplish even more, but I do feel like he takes the game very seriously," he said. "The one thing I will say about Justin is he works really hard, and I appreciate that as a teammate. But sometimes you don’t have to work as hard. Let’s take a step back for just a second and diagnose - am I doing other parts of the game like the film study enough?”

It's an odd take to have for someone who doesn't even play on the same side of the ball as Herbert. If this was a former receiver, the opinion might carry more weight. But from someone who played with the Chargers for just 17 games that took place in 2022, the opinion seems unnecessary.

However, it could add fuel to the fire for Herbert and the Chargers. A relaxed Justin Herbert could be a dangerous Justin Herbert, and a member of the Ravens, a team that also has Super Bowl aspirations, Van Noy might get to see that firsthand.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Justin Herbert's former teammate Kyle Van Noy tells him to relax some