Dating a pop star while quarterbacking an NFL team comes with attention most players never experience. Justin Herbert knows this better than anyone right now after Sunday’s performance at SoFi Stadium drew eyes for reasons beyond football.
The Los Angeles Chargers quarterback had company on the sideline before kickoff against Washington. What happened next got cameras rolling and fans debating whether pregame rituals matter more than most quarterbacks admit.
Justin Herbert Shares Multiple Kisses With Madison Beer Before Los Angeles Chargers Face Washington Commanders
Herbert walked to the sideline before kickoff in Week 5 against the Commanders and went straight for Madison Beer. The 27-year-old QBkissed the pop star on the lips, shook hands with her friends, then doubled back for another kiss before jogging out to lead the Chargers.
Justin Herbert and Madison Beer pregame kiss 💋
🎥 leosnchez | #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/fh1nSBPcPn
— 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦⚡️𝗛𝗬𝗣𝗘 (@ChargersHype) October 5, 2025
Beer showed up wearing full Chargers gear, making it clear whose side she was on. The couple was first linked romantically back in August after being spotted together multiple times around Los Angeles.
Sunday marked their most public display yet, with cameras catching every moment of the pregame exchange.
Herbert entered the game completing 63.8% of his passes for 1,063 yards with seven touchdowns and three interceptions through four games.
The former Oregon standout had been solid if unspectacular, keeping the Chargers competitive at 3-1 heading into Sunday’s matchup.
Then the game started. Washington jumped out to a 10-0 lead before the Chargers could blink. Herbert and the offense struggled to find any rhythm against a Commanders defense that forced a critical fumble in the second quarter.
Washington scored 27 straight points after that turnover, cruising to a 27-10 victory that wasn’t nearly as close as the final score suggested.
The storyline wasn’t just about the Commanders’ dominance on the field for most fans. Instead, they immediately tied the Chargers’ flat performance to that viral pregame kiss, turning a routine loss into meme material.
NFL Fans Waste No Time Connecting Pregame Kiss to Los Angeles Chargers Performance
Social media came alive after the Chargers’ loss. One fanwrote, “Didn’t help him win the game, rip.”
Anotheradded, “That’s bad luck for Herbert. Never kiss your girl before a game.” The old-school superstition crowd showed up in force with takes about pregame routines and focus.
A thirdobserved, “Distraction. Just like Kelce.” The comparison to Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift came fast, with fans pointing to high-profile relationships as potential performance killers.
Not everyone blamed Beer for the loss. One supporternoted, “man’s really out here completing passes on and off the field.” The comment defended Herbert’s right to have a personal life while playing professional football.
The truth is Herbert didn’t lose focus because of a girlfriend. He got beaten by Washington’s defense. The Chargers dropped to 3-2 while the Commanders climbed to 3-2, leaving both teams stuck in the middle of the playoff hunt.
Beer’s presence on the sideline makes for good storylines, but it didn’t cause Herbert to struggle through Washington’s pressure all afternoon.