How Justin Herbert Spent $25,000 Helping the Less Fortunate Before His $262.5M NFL Deal
The Los Angeles Chargers QBJustin Herbert donated $25,000 to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank in December 2021, years before signing his massive $262.5 million NFL extension.
Justin Herbert had not signed his massive NFL contract when he made a $25,000 donation to help people facing hunger in Los Angeles. On Dec. 15, 2021, the Los Angeles Chargers QB gave the money to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank. The donation funded 100,000 meals for children and families across Los Angeles County during the holiday season.
That contribution came nearly two years before Herbert landed his huge payday. At the time, he was still early in his NFL career and had already made a strong impression in Los Angeles. His financial situation later changed significantly, but his community work had already started.
Justin Herbert Donated $25,000 To Feed Families In Los Angeles
The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank announced Herbert's donation on Dec. 15, 2021. According to the organisation, his $25,000 gift allowed it to distribute 100,000 meals across Los Angeles County. The help arrived during the holiday season, when many local families continued to deal with food insecurity during the pandemic.
Herbert also explained his reason for making the contribution in the Food Bank's December 15 announcement. He credited his parents for teaching him and his brothers about helping others.
“My parents always instilled in my brothers and me the importance of service to others,” Herbert said in the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank's Dec. 15, 2021 announcement. He added that, as part of the community, he felt it was important to support his neighbours and help people in need.
The donation also came at a difficult point for Los Angeles. The Food Bank said it continued to see high levels of need during the pandemic, with people across the county still struggling to secure enough food.
Justin Herbert Later Signed A $262.5M NFL Deal
Herbert's career and finances took another step forward in July 2023. Per Spotrac, on July 25, the Chargers agreed to a five-year, $262.5 million extension with their quarterback. The deal ran through the 2029 season and included $218.7 million in total guarantees.
ESPN reported that the contract included $133.7 million in full guarantees and $193.7 million in injury guarantees. The extension also came with a no-trade clause.
That earlier gesture gives the massive contract a little more perspective. Herbert donated $25,000 to the Los Angeles community in December 2021. He chose to help people in need long before signing one of the NFL's biggest quarterback deals.