Philip Rivers gets emotional during interview about Chargers leaving San Diego
Quarterback Philip Rivers has spent his entire 13-year career with the Chargers and has become the "face of San Diego sports," although he never has considered himself that.
On Friday, Rivers spoke with "Hardwick & Richards" of KLSD San Diego Sports Radio in a wide-ranging interview about Chargers owner Dean Spanos' decision to move the team to Los Angeles after voters rejected a ballot measure in November to help finance a new stadium.
Rivers spoke openly and honestly about his shock and sympathized with fans, many of whom left their jerseys in a pile outside the team's San Diego facility.
"I've kind of held back tears a few times on this interview," Rivers said. "It's kind of surreal, kind of like 'What in the world?'"
"It's a sad, emotional time here," he said.
While sympathizing with San Diego and the fans there, Rivers, who's nearing the tail end of a solid career, made it clear that he's a professional and has no choice but to make the best of the situation.
"I'm going to embrace it and give them all I got for the short time I got left."
And of course, Rivers also saw all the fun people had with the new Los Angeles Chargers logo (which already has changed a bit).
"I don't think it's necessarily the new logo forever; I don't know exactly..." Rivers said. "I did see the fun with it. You'd expect regardless of how it came out, they'd shoot holes in it yesterday."
Ultimately Rivers hopes that time will heal, and that San Diegans will be willing to drive up to Los Angeles to see them play.
"I know it's still fresh, believe me," he said. "If I was two hours away, I'd drive up and check out the team. But it's a different deal for everybody. Shoot. We're all getting used to it."
