All About Justin Herbert's Parents, Former Oregon Basketball Star Holly and Biology Teacher Mark Herbert

Justin Herbert's parents are extremely proud of their son's career with the Los Angeles Chargers

Justin Herbert’s parents, Holly and Mark Herbert, are never too far away when their son needs them.

The couple’s home is only a 10-minute drive — and 23-minute walk — from Autzen Stadium, where Justin starred as the quarterback at the University of Oregon.

Now that he is the starting quarterback of the Los Angeles Chargers, after being drafted sixth overall in 2020, Justin’s parents are still there when he needs them. The family makes frequent trips to L.A. to support him at games and still gathers at their Eugene, Ore., home multiple times a year.

Related: Meet Justin Herbert's Brothers: All About Mitchell and Patrick Herbert

Mark, who coached Justin on his youth team, is thrilled that his son landed one of the most coveted positions in sports. “It's one of 32 of the best jobs in the world," he told ESPN in 2020. “He's in the best place on the West Coast, we can go see him. He has a bright future.”

From their athletic roots to raising three boys, here's everything to know about Justin Herbert's parents, Holly and Mark Herbert.

They are former athletes

Justin first gained national attention as the quarterback for the University of Oregon. But he was not the first in his family to star for the Ducks. His mother, Holly, played basketball at the University of Oregon. Her dad, Rich Schwab, was a beloved receiver for Oregon from 1960 to 1963.

Justin’s father, Mark, was a football and track athlete at the University of Montana. Mark’s dad, Roger Herbert, was also a sprinter at Oregon State University and later became the longtime track coach at Sheldon High School. Both Mark and Roger taught high school biology.

They have three sons

In addition to Justin, the couple have two other sons.

Holly and Mark welcomed Mark Mitchell Herbert first on April 21, 1996. Mitchell was a member of the National Honor Society and played football at Montana State University. He graduated with a medical degree from Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2024 and now works in orthopedic surgery at UCLA.

After welcoming Justin on March 10, 1998, Holly and Mark had their youngest son, Patrick, on Oct. 18, 2000. He is a sociology major at the University of Oregon and a tight end on the football team.

“It’s a team I’ve rooted for my entire life,” Patrick told Eugene Magazine in 2024 about his decision to follow in his family’s footsteps. “I grew up here in Eugene and always loved the Ducks, so to play for this program is a very special deal, just as it was for the rest of my family.”

They wrote Justin a sweet letter when he was drafted

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NFL held the 2020 draft remotely. Justin and his draft class missed out on the festivities that typically surround the event but the Chargers found a memorable way to celebrate their newest draftees. The “Dear Rookies” series featured letters written and read by family members of the Chargers, including Holly and Mark.

“As you begin this next chapter, a chapter you have dreamed about and worked hard for, we just want you to know how very proud we are of you,” the letter read. "Justin, you are living your dream, not out of luck, but hard work, commitment and determination."

The couple went on to list a few guidelines to live by before reminding their son that they would always be there for him.

“You got this, and if you ever need anything: we got you!” they wrote.

Justin wants to buy his father a special gift

In 2023, Justin signed a five-year, $262.5-million deal that, at the time, made him the league’s highest-paid player in average annual salary. Mark told Yahoo Sports that his family's life had not changed much, despite the impressive payday. He said that he still works, walks the dog and drives his 2004 Ford pickup "all the way down to the paint falling off."

“I think Justin’s embarrassed by it, to be honest with you,” Mark shared in the 2023 interview about the massive contract. “He said it to me. He said, ‘Dad, nobody deserves this much money.’ And he’s right. But, you know, somebody feels like he’s earned it.”

But Justin had one major purchase in mind when he appeared on The Pat McAfee Show in 2023.

“I’m thinking maybe put a field goal post in my backyard for my dad, so he doesn’t have to tape it up anymore,” he said, smiling.

Mark loves to motivate his kids

Mark grew up playing and excelling at sports, but he wasn’t always proud of his efforts. The former all-state wide receiver hoped to replicate his high school football success at the University of Montana and dabble in track. But after barely passing his physical, Mark was injured and quit the football team ahead of the second season. He turned his attention to the track, competing in hurdles, long jump and triple jump.

Looking back, the father of three admitted that he didn’t “appreciate the opportunity” to play football as much as he should have.

“What I kept telling my kids is college football’s a lot harder than people realize,” he explained to 406 MT SPORTS in 2019. “They think it’s glamorous. High school kids think it’s easy and think ‘Because I was the star in high school, I’ll be the star in college.’ It doesn’t work that way. I found that out.”

The experience left Mark reluctant to share about his time in Montana with his children, but he eventually realized there was a lesson to be learned.

“For me, it was uncomfortable and it was difficult because I was the most classic underachiever, unfulfilled potential person you could ever imagine,” he added. “I told them [my sons] that I had screwed up and I had some ability and I didn’t use my time very wisely and I didn’t use some of the opportunities that I had. I wanted to make sure that they did the opposite of what I did.”

Holly’s dad was a role model for Justin

Holly’s father, Rich Schwab, or “Schwabby” as he was affectionately called, died from a stroke in January 2018. The impact he left on his grandchildren was profound as he was the one to introduce the Herbert boys to Ducks football.

After her father’s death, Holly was surprised by Justin's response as he was normally soft-spoken and introverted.

“Justin was like, ‘I’m going to honor him by being a better teammate and better person,’ ” Holly told Oregon Live in 2018. “I was just like, wow. Because he’s a man of few words.”

According to Holly, her father “lived and breathed Oregon football.” He was so devoted that he attended the team’s 2009 Rose Bowl game not long after heart valve replacement surgery. Schwab was also a well-loved figure in the community.

“I just remember all the people who would come to me and tell me how great of a man he was, and I knew it,” Justin recalled. “Everything he taught me, I try to live by every day to make sure I honor him.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.