Chargers hail Bradley Bozeman's response to Saints' illegal hit - ESPN

Nathan Shepherd wraps up Justin Herbert's leg after a pass, leading to hefty retaliation by Bradley Bozeman. (0:27)

INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- After drawing an unnecessary roughness call for defending Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert following an illegal hit in Sunday's 26-8 win over the New Orleans Saints, center Bradley Bozeman was celebrated by teammates and awarded a game ball by coach Jim Harbaugh.

Saints defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd twisted Herbert's right ankle and pulled down the QB long after he had thrown the ball to running back J.K. Dobbins in the second quarter. Bozeman, the only Chargers lineman who saw the interaction, sprinted and pushed Shepherd off Herbert, then continued shoving Shepherd into the ground before Herbert and an official separated them.

Bozeman and Shepherd were both flagged for unnecessary roughness, the first such call of Bozeman's career.

"It was probably one of the dirtier plays I've ever seen," Bozeman said.

"You protect your quarterback no matter what. And I think any of our offensive linemen that was in my position would've done the same thing."

Herbert has been playing through a right high ankle sprain that he suffered in a Week 2 win over the Carolina Panthers.

"Everybody knows Justin's got a bad ankle," Harbaugh said. "I don't blame [Bozeman]. I don't encourage it at all, but I don't blame him."

Herbert ended up pulling Bozeman off Shepherd with the help of an official.

Bozeman said he was later welcomed on the sideline by teammates and coaches, who also saw Shepherd's action as dirty.

"That's the type of center you want on your team," Herbert said. "He'll give everything for this team, and I appreciated what he did. I tried to pull him off so he didn't get any penalties called, but to have a guy like that defending you, there's no better feeling."

After the game, Harbaugh announced game balls for each player on the team. Many players began to chant for Bozeman before Harbaugh finally yelled "Boze" and awarded him one, which received the loudest ovation of any in the locker room.

everybody gets a game ball pic.twitter.com/7aeTqLZkUt

"You have your gentle giant side, and then when you've got to flip the switch, you flip the switch," the 6-foot-5, 311-pound Bozeman said, "and that kind of stuff is unacceptable. To do that to our premier quarterback is unacceptable."