Quentin Lake Apologizes to Justin Herbert After 1 'Deli Meat' Podcast Jab

Q: Why did a Rams defender suddenly apologize for exposing the brutal truth behind the Chargers' winless season?

Rams safety Quentin Lake apologized because his blunt podcast remarks about Justin Herbert went viral and came off as more personal than the competitive trash talk he intended. After intercepting Herbert in the Rams’ 24-9 win over the Chargers, Lake said on the “St. Brown Podcast” that Herbert was “throwing deli meat” and “seeing ghosts,” suggesting the Rams believed they would get turnover chances. The comments resonated because they matched the Chargers’ ugly start: they are 0-7, Herbert has thrown a league-high 10 interceptions, and the offense has scored only 99 points through seven games without a touchdown in its last nine quarters. Lake later said he had been joking in a relaxed setting with friends, but realized the podcast’s large platform changed how the remarks would be received. He texted Herbert to say he meant no disrespect and did not want the comments to be taken as a personal insult. Lake said he still views Herbert as “a great quarterback” with major arm talent, mobility and processing ability, even if the Chargers clearly have serious problems to fix. So the apology was not a retraction of what happened on the field. It was an attempt to separate honest, harsh game analysis from disrespect toward Herbert personally. Herbert said he had not heard the comments, while Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh dismissed them as just someone’s opinion.

3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Nov 7

Quentin Lake said he texted Justin Herbert to apologize after calling the Chargers quarterback's passes "deli meat" and saying he was "seeing ghosts" on the St. Brown Podcast.
Lake told the Los Angeles Times he had not heard back from Herbert but felt it was right to say he "didn't mean it in any disrespectful way."
The comment stemmed from Lake's interception against the Chargers on Sunday, when he said the Rams expected to get "a couple" takeaways.
Herbert's struggles framed the exchange: the report says the 0-7 Chargers quarterback leads the league with 10 interceptions.