Sports
Quarterback Philip Rivers Leaves Chargers For Free Agency
After 16 seasons together, the Chargers and longtime quarterback Philip Rivers agreed to part ways.
LOS ANGELES, CA — Longtime Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers will not play with the team next season, the team announced Monday.
The news comes after 16 seasons and 224 consecutive starts with Rivers calling the plays.
"I've said before that Philip can still compete at a top-starter level and, in a perfect world, number 17 is your quarterback forever. Obviously, we live in an imperfect world where the only constant is change," said General Manager Tom Telesco. "I think Philip's tremendous perspective, both when it comes to football and when it comes to life, helped lend clarity to a very complex situation."
Find out what's happening in North Hollywood-Toluca Lakefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The separation was mutual, according to the team and Rivers.
"After stepping back a bit from last season, we reconnected with Philip and his representatives to look at how 2019 played out, assess our future goals, evaluate the current state of the roster and see if there was a path forward that made sense for both parties," added Telesco. "As we talked through various scenarios, it became apparent that it would be best for Philip and the Chargers to turn the page on what has truly been a remarkable run."
Rivers will be an unrestricted free agent at age 38. He's an eight-time Pro Bowl pick, but the last season was one of his worst years.
Find out what's happening in North Hollywood-Toluca Lakefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"I am very grateful to the Spanos family and the Chargers organization for the last 16 years," said Rivers in a written statement released by the Chargers. "In anything you do, it's the people you do it with that make it special. There are so many relationships and memories with coaches, support staff and teammates that will last forever, and for that I am so thankful.
"I never took for granted the opportunity to lead this team out on to the field for 235 games. We had a lot of great moments, beginning in San Diego and then finishing in LA. I wish my teammates and coaches nothing but the best moving forward.
"I'm not sure what the future holds, but my family and I look forward to seeing what God has planned for us next.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.