The first warning signs appeared in the summer when footage emerged of Justin Herbert and his new fiancé Madison Beer sitting together on the field after a Los Angeles Chargers practice.
Training camp is supposed to be the time where players put in the hard yards, giving everything they can to be ready for when the bullets start to fly for real in the NFL season.
But the sight of pop star Beer fawning over an entranced Herbert and playing with the quarterback’s hair did not go down well, considering he has not won a playoff game since entering the NFL in 2020.
Fast forward two months and concerns Herbert may have taken his eye off the ball have proved to be true. The Chargers have played five games this season and lost every single one.
Losses to the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos can be excused but back-to-back home defeats by the Arizona Cardinals and Las Vegas Raiders caused consternation among a fan base who had high hopes for this season.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh hired Mike McDaniel, widely considered an offensive genius in NFL circles, to work closely with Herbert and help him return to the level that won him Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020.
Madison Beer and Justin Herbert are facing ‘whispers’ over fears the Chargers QB is distracted
Despite lofty expectations going into the new season, Herbert and the Chargers are now 0-5
But the 28-year-old’s performance at crunch time against the Broncos on Sunday looked as though he’s far from able to compete with the NFL’s elite. Cameras cutting to his glamorous singer-songwriter fiancée, 27, in the stands during games do little to help.
An insider has now told the Daily Mail that ‘whispers’ are starting to circulate at the Chargers’ facility amid concerns their quarterback is not fully focused on the task at hand.
A source said: ‘The Chargers seem to be a cursed franchise. There have been too many times that they should be good but they run into a wall by getting too many injuries or not playing to their full potential.
‘Instead of the fans blaming the ownership, as that is a given every year, they have started to blame Justin’s relationship.
‘Even some players and coaches are becoming wary of Madison being around and Justin’s focus being elsewhere. So much so that Justin and Madison now feel the whispers.’
However, the source insisted Herbert is not distracted and there are more concerning issues with the Chargers than just their star quarterback’s performances.
The insider continued: ‘Look at what has happened with Josh Allen and obviously Travis Kelce and people loving their relationships. But they are winning, so they can ride the storm.
‘Add that Justin and Madison are in Los Angeles and both being stars themselves; it’s obvious that people like seeing their relationship blossom but it also is getting the blame.
After Herbert passed for a touchdown against Arizona, Beer celebrated in the stands
‘But now since the Chargers are struggling, he doesn’t think it’s fair to put that on her. Football is a team sport, and there are a lot of things that go into a 0-5 start. They stink. The coaching and the play on the field have been trash.
‘Madison being in the stands obviously is going to get attention because of who she is, but that doesn’t mean she’s distracting him or having any impact on how he plays. He would clearly love to play lights out and be 5-0 right now. The problem is that people love connecting the dots, even when there isn’t necessarily a connection there.
‘Justin would rather keep his relationship out of the football conversation, and he certainly doesn’t want Madison feeling like she has to stop coming to games because people are blaming her for what’s happening on the field.
‘The chatter can get frustrating, but that doesn’t mean there’s trouble between them. At the end of the day, Justin has a season to turn around, and he’s focused on that.
‘He isn’t going to let public opinion dictate his relationship, and Madison shouldn’t have to feel like she’s doing something wrong simply by supporting her man.
‘She thinks that all the chatter is a little far-fetched as her future husband and the team are professionals and are getting paid lots of money to play well and win games.
‘If they crumble because she’s in the crowd, it’s on them.’
The Daily Mail has contacted reps for Herbert and Beer for comment, as well as the Chargers.
Herbert and Beer began their relationship in August of 2025 and they have been spotted at baseball and basketball games together, while Herbert appeared in the music video of her song, ‘lovergirl.’
This past summer, the couple got engaged to be married with photos showing off a massive diamond ring that the Oregon native gave to the pop star.
Experts think Herbert may have spent up to $640,000 on the stunning piece of jewelry.
The singer also praised the impact Herbert has had on her life in an interview on the ‘Call Her Daddy’ podcast last December.
‘I feel, like, taken care of in a way that I can break down and like I have someone to lean on,’ she said.
Over the summer, Beer and Herbert got engaged after dating for less than a year
Beer (above at the 2025 Victoria’s Secret show) has gushed about her soon-to-be-husband: ‘He came into my life at the perfect time’
‘When I’m having a convo with my boyfriend, my hair could be on fire and I wouldn’t notice. And to be honest with you, he’s the first person I’ve ever felt that way about.
‘Like, the world could be ending around me and I wouldn’t realize. It’s just so mature. He came into my life at the perfect time. Our first date was literally at my house because we were scared to go in public.’
Last month, as the Chargers’ season showed initial signs of implosion, ex-Cleveland Browns and Denver Broncos safety T J Ward blamed Herbert’s relationship for his disappointing performances.
Speaking on the Speakeasy podcast, Super Bowl champion Ward said: ‘When you get a girl, the little extra time you demand spending on your craft, she’s demanding it. There’s going to be a downfall coming. You’re going to get worse.
‘The time you’re on the couch watching film, she’s gonna be all up under you. The time you spend your Friday nights at home, she wants to go to dinner.
‘The time you’re rehabbing or staying late in the facility… now, you’ve got to go home and kick it with your girlfriend, especially if she’s famous. Now, you’ve got cameras on you. Your offseason is in Europe and taking photoshoots….
‘As soon as you start having a lack of success, Justin, this girl, Beer, she’s using you, buddy. She’s going to be out of there… Get back on your craft. She’s ruining it.’
To make things worse, the Chargers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier because on Sunday they take on Travis Kelce and the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs.
The struggling Herbert only needs to look across the field to see how an NFL star with a famous popstar partner can still find success on the field while having a very public relationship.
