Get Choked Up This Morning Watching Philip Rivers Reunite With His Old Linemen
Daggumitt does this man make me tear up more than just about anyone.
When I was growing up on Long Island and starting to get into pro sports, I didn't have any allegiances. My old man is a super blue collar hobbyist that doesn't really care about sports (not when he can spend hours away tinkering on a homemade submersible or working on an old car), so I was a blank slate. As I watched more games and highlights, 3 players drew me into the powder blue. LT, Gates and daggum Philip Rivers. A southern gunslinger throwing bombs while jawing away at anyone on the other team that will listen. As I grew up and learned more about him as guy, I only liked him even more. His attention to detail in the game, ability to get under the skin of the apex predators of the NFL (no Watson) without so much as cursing and his singular focus on 2 things: Football and having children.
When he left the Chargers, it was devastating. Not only he leave without getting another shot at a deep playoff run but he also left us with this tear-jerking presser.
“I can say I gave it everything I had, every week. Maybe it means an interception on 4th and 18, when you’re down 10. Because I don’t care that it’s going to say ‘2 interceptions.’ I really don’t. It’s just, I ain’t quitting. Going into the locker room, win or lose, I can say, ‘Dagumit, we fell short — or we won — but, shoot, I couldn’t have tried any harder.'”
And you know a player with the second most consecutive QB starts in NFL history that trotted out on a torn ACL with no LT vs the undefeated Patriots meant what he said here.
Anyway, it's awesome that Phil is going to finally get his dues from the franchise and I loved this video. He's always sung the praises of his OL whenever someone mentions his success and even does so unprompted before knowing the fellas were there. And you know what else I loved? Him saying "This contract better be for more than one day, I can still lace-em up!"
Also, make sure to check out Gruden visiting his house and meeting his son, Gunner, who has 7,024 passing yards, 70 total TD’s, and 10 INT’s in two seasons as a starter in high school.