Justin Herbert’s Chargers job suddenly looks vulnerable after Cam Newton admits benching him could be the answer

Cam Newton thinks the Los Angeles Chargers should seriously consider sitting Justin Herbert. The former MVP made the case on his 4th & 1 podcast after Los Angeles fell to 0-4 with a Week 4 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Herbert has 816 passing yards, four touchdowns and six interceptions this season, and Newton says the quarterback is a big reason the team cannot win. The comments put Herbert's job in an unusual spotlight for a player on a large contract. They also raise a harder question for head coach Jim Harbaugh.Why does Cam Newton think the Chargers should bench Justin Herbert?Newton did not soften it. “We need to have a case study out for him. Maybe he needs to put his hind parts on the bench,” he said. Then he got more direct. “Justin is the reason why the Los Angeles Chargers are losing.”He backed that up with numbers. “His passer rating is 70. Completion percentage 59%. His QBR is amongst the worst of all quarterbacks, at 27,” Newton said. Pro Football Network's quarterback impact metric agrees on the direction, placing Herbert last in the league at 61.4.The contract is the other half of his argument. Newton pointed to a “franchise quarterback with a huge contract,” and then to a team with no wins. In his view, that deal makes Herbert the common denominator, the one who is supposed to be the difference. “Well, we need a difference made, right? Justin Herbert ain't getting the job done,” he said.His fix is bold. Newton wants Herbert to “control + alt + delete and start all over, and reboot the whole system.” He also offered an example, saying a benching seemed to spark better play from Bryce Young.Would benching Justin Herbert actually fix the Chargers?Maybe, but it is not that simple. A quarterback is the easiest name to blame when a team is 0-4. Pass protection, play calling and the defense all affect those numbers. Nothing in the reference suggests Harbaugh is planning a switch.Still, Newton knows something about being the face of a struggling team, and his point has a human side. A short stay on the sideline can give a passer time to see the game differently. For some players, it works. For others, it hurts confidence and makes things worse.The risk is higher for Herbert because of who he is. He is not a young player fighting to keep a job. Sitting him would send a loud message about the whole team, not only about him.So the real question is what the Chargers do next. An 0-4 record leaves little room, and Herbert's numbers will get a long look this week. If they do not improve soon, Newton's idea will not stay a podcast topic much longer.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.