Justin Herbert made sure to give longtime teammate Keenan Allen his flowers after the veteran receiver etched his name into Chargers history on Sunday night.
Following Los Angeles’ 25-10 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Herbert praised Allen’s professionalism and leadership after he became the franchise’s all-time receptions leader.
“Just very fortunate to have him,” Herbert said postgame. “He’s a true pro and he’s taught me so much about the game. To have a guy like that teaching the receivers, hanging out with quarterbacks, talking routes—I think his understanding of the game is second to none. Nobody deserves it more than him.”
Allen, who entered the night needing just two catches to pass Hall of Famer Antonio Gates, made history in front of the home crowd at SoFi Stadium. He tied Gates’ record with a 13-yard catch early in the third quarter, then officially took the top spot with a 7-yard pop pass from Herbert late in the fourth quarter. The reception was simple by design but monumental in meaning.
### Keenan Allen Makes History on SNF
Allen admitted after the game that the idea for the play came from him.
“At the end of the game, we’re up by a lot of points, so I was like, ‘Hey, can we just do a speed here or something?’” he said with a grin. “It’s probably the easiest catch I can get. It’s like a guaranteed catch. They actually called me a genius.”
Head coach Jim Harbaugh backed up that story, saying the veteran wanted to make the record-breaking grab in front of family and fans.
“He’s got family here and wanted to do it in front of the home crowd,” Harbaugh said. “A great idea, and we went for it.”
As soon as Allen caught the ball, the SoFi crowd erupted. Teammates swarmed him on the field, and Gates—who was on the sideline—was among the first to congratulate him with a hug.
The catch was Allen’s 956th with the Chargers, surpassing Gates’ 955, and it took him 87 fewer games to reach that milestone.
Allen, who spent last season with the Chicago Bears before returning to Los Angeles on a one-year deal, reflected on the moment with humility.
“This has got to be up there with the 10,000 yards,” Allen said. “Those are milestones not a lot of people reach. Hats off to Antonio, and to Philip [Rivers] and Herbo for throwing the ball. I appreciate those guys.”
With 12 seasons of consistency, leadership, and production, Allen now stands alone atop the Chargers’ all-time receptions list—a testament to the work ethic that’s defined his career.
https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/los-angeles-chargers/chargers-news-justin-herbert-keenan-allen-flowers-historic-catch-vs-steelers
