Los Angeles Chargers and Philip Rivers have decided to mutually part ways, making the star quarterback officially a free agent after 16 seasons with the team.
“After stepping back a bit from last season, we reconnected with Philip [Rivers] 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,” General Manager Tom Telesco said in a statement posted Monday on the Chargers’ website. (RELATED: David Hookstead Is The True King In The North When It Comes To College Football)
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“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,” the statement added. “We agreed that making this decision well before free agency would allow everyone to put themselves in the best position for success in 2020.” (RELATED: Andy Reid Says He Will Definitely Visit The WH, Calling It ‘Quite An Honor’)
The 38-year-old Chargers’ wining QB shared in a statement since that he was “very grateful to the Spanos family and the Chargers organization for the last 16 years.”
“In anything you do, it’s the people you do it with that make it special,” he added. “There are so many relationships and memories with coaches, support staff and teammates that will last forever, and for that I am so thankful.
Rivers’ statement concluded, “I never took for granted the opportunity to lead this team out on to the field for 235 games. … I’m not sure what the future holds, but my family and I look forward to seeing what God has planned for us next.”
According to the Chargers’ website:
Rivers, who owns more than 30 franchise records, ranks inside the Top 10 of the NFL’s all-time lists in numerous categories. His 123 career regular season victories as a starter rank ninth in NFL history, ahead of the likes of Johnny Unitas, Joe Montana and Jim Kelly.
Posted a short time later on the teams’ Instagram page was a tremendous video highlighting Rivers career with the team from the day he was drafted through the all the unforgettable wins and losses. His quotes on the clip are just one more reminder why he was so beloved by Chargers’ fans.
The caption next to the post read, “ThankYouPhilip For every minicamp, practice, game, throw, touchdown, win, dadgummit and memory.”
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At one point in the video, the eight-time Pro Bowler says, “Football means preparation. It’s the guts to overcome failure. The resolve to never give up. And the thrill of winning.”
Truly, the end of an era.