Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers says he plans to play in 2020 and start his 225th game in a row.
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00:00 But ultimately we fell short, we had plenty of opportunities and
00:05 what an atmosphere, awesome place, awesome crowd and just came up short.
00:12 >> What was going through your mind after the game was over and
00:16 you were walking around the field?
00:18 Were you thinking big picture or was it what was going through your mind?
00:20 >> Well, I think first of all, I was trying to just see as many of those Chiefs
00:23 guys as I could and wish them the best moving forward.
00:25 Knowing that feeling that there's more football left and
00:29 you're one of 12 is exciting and then obviously they find out they get a bye and
00:33 all, so I love to go at it with those guys as everybody knows.
00:39 But I also have a great respect for guys and how they play and how hard they play.
00:43 And so afterwards you wish them the best and tell them go get them.
00:47 And yeah, so that was most of it.
00:51 I mean, there was maybe a glimpse of it that was kind of like, shoot,
00:55 if it's the last time here or last time in that uniform, I think that's a possibility.
01:02 But I think I didn't try not to get too far ahead.
01:05 It's just too hard to do that, to go there immediately at the end of the game.
01:12 >> There was the one moment where Chris Jones beat him to the pat and
01:15 then he backed and he gave a little flood.
01:17 >> Yeah.
01:20 >> Between the tap and the flood.
01:24 >> Yeah, that was the first play of the game.
01:26 And I really thought my leg was broke, but obviously, thankfully it wasn't.
01:30 It was one of those, I thought it was a little cheap,
01:34 just because I didn't think he had to finish me.
01:36 It was already caught underneath him and then he kind of finished me.
01:38 But again, we've talked after the game and
01:42 even during a little break in action.
01:46 And shoot, it's all good, it's part of it.
01:49 Some of that is good for me to get me going a little bit.
01:51 And but what a player he is now.
01:54 Talking about one of the best defensive, he's up there.
01:57 If not one, he's a close second defensive tackles in the league and
02:02 he's a heck of a player.
02:03 >> Is the love of the game still there?
02:06 >> Yeah, it's still there.
02:08 I think in a year like this, it can drain you a little bit and beat you up.
02:12 But yeah, no, it's still there.
02:14 There's nothing like it, competing at this level, living the dream.
02:19 And even in a situation when you're five and ten,
02:22 I was asked at some point this week, what's the motivation?
02:26 It's like, shoot, the motivation.
02:28 I'm 38 years old, get to play the Kansas City Chiefs at this place.
02:31 Are you kidding me?
02:32 I don't care what the record is.
02:33 So that tells me, I know that I still got some juice left.
02:38 And I love to prepare, talking to Coach Spagnola afterwards,
02:42 I'd never really spoken to him.
02:44 Just that, again, and I appreciate it,
02:47 just that mutual respect of him saying the challenge for preparing.
02:51 Knowing the stuff that I try to get done, and likewise for him,
02:54 cuz he makes it dang tough.
02:55 I mean, those kind of things are what's awesome throughout the week.
03:00 And I do still enjoy that.
03:02 >> So how much of that juice comes from your desire to prepare and
03:05 still go through it?
03:06 I hear it said, how much of it now is coming down to,
03:08 again, what's your point of shoulder, if I'm shooting myself,
03:11 or is it still coming off?
03:12 >> Yeah, I really don't think that's there,
03:15 I think, again, no disrespect, but I think it can become just cliche.
03:21 If you're 38 and you throw a bunch of interceptions,
03:22 that's what they're gonna say.
03:23 Can't throw it anymore, can't throw it out, can't throw this, arm strength.
03:26 And I almost laugh at it, because I wanna go, well,
03:29 let's sit down and watch the 16 games together.
03:31 And we can see every play you want, and I'll tell you the ones that, yeah,
03:35 that was horrible, look at that terrible throw.
03:37 And then I'll go, now what do you want to see about this throw, and so on.
03:40 So there's really no chip to prove anything to anybody.
03:43 I know the people that know, no, and that's that I still can play at a high level.
03:49 Have I made plenty of mistakes this year that hurt us in some games?
03:52 Yes, were we in some games we could have overcome them?
03:55 Absolutely, see it all over the league.
03:58 So just like today, the stats won't tell the whole story today.
04:00 So that's why at this point in my career, I could care less about them.
04:04 The only stat is about winning and losing.
04:06 And again, I didn't do enough this year to help us win more football games.
04:10 And I take responsibility for that in the plays and
04:14 the mistakes that I should be responsible for.
04:16 But as far as can I do it, there's no question.
04:18 Do I still want to?
04:21 Absolutely.
04:23 >> So if you did come back, and you're able to kind of clean up some of those
04:27 mistakes, you want to get some guys in, do you think you guys can get back for
04:30 you in the series?
04:31 >> I think there's a chance.
04:32 I think there is a lot of questions to be answered.
04:35 It's not just a matter of if I'm back and if I play well, we'll go win 12 games.
04:39 I think we're far from that being the just check that box and
04:44 everything will be good.
04:45 If he doesn't turn it over, we're good.
04:47 I think that would be inaccurate.
04:50 There's a lot of question marks moving forward.
04:52 And I think as those get answered and how those get answered, and
04:57 along with my personal, that will clear up a lot of things.
05:02 >> Is that part of your evaluation process of whether or not-
05:04 >> No question, no question.
05:06 >> You've obviously been very focused on the moment.
05:08 Has there been times where you've sort of taken it all in and
05:13 slowed it down and appreciated sort of- >> Yeah, I think so.
05:18 >> Some side of your career?
05:19 >> No question.
05:21 Whether it's exactly the end or not, which it still could be.
05:26 But either way, we're probably on 16,
05:29 playing a little par three with only two holes to go.
05:32 So I am definitely on that back stretch.
05:35 So I think I have, and there's been times I've been a little emotional,
05:38 even at the house talking through things and thinking about, man,
05:41 the last Blitz protection meeting or the last bus ride.
05:46 So those things I have gotten to every now and then.
05:49 And that's when my wife says, shoot, just don't,
05:52 so you can try to hold it in and it'll all blow up at some point.
05:54 So I have allowed myself to do that, but at the same point go, shoot,
05:58 don't let that ruin the moment that you're in.
06:01 Just be right here and enjoy it like I always have.
06:03 Cuz I can say I don't feel like I've ever taken it for granted, but
06:06 certainly in year seven, at the end of the year, you don't leave this game,
06:11 in this situation, feeling the same way I feel right now.
06:15 So it is a little different.
06:16 But gotta just, again, be in the present.
06:22 That was really my whole thing about today is just be right here and shoot,
06:25 play, go play, and I thought we did that.
06:27 And again, that doesn't mean it's enough.
06:29 It's ultimately not enough.
06:31 But I do think that you can walk out of here with your head held high when you
06:35 fight and compete and do it the only way you know how.
06:37 And so that's one thing I'll never apologize for and
06:39 never really feel ashamed of.
06:42 Because I do it the way I know how as hard as I can do it.
06:45 And sometimes it's enough, sometimes it's not.
06:46 And that's the only way I'll continue to do it.
06:49 >> You mentioned this could be your last game in this uniform.
06:52 Would you consider wearing a different uniform?
06:55 Would that help you in the present yourself?
06:58 >> Yeah, I plan to play football.
07:00 So yeah, I mean, again, where that's gonna be,
07:02 I think will get sorted out over the next, what is it, three months.
07:06 I guess I've never been in this position.
07:07 I usually don't even know when the league year starts and
07:09 when all those things are.
07:11 So we'll just kind of see.
07:13 Again, I'm very thankful for the 16 years.
07:15 And if there's another, I'll be thankful for that one.
07:17 But I think with the uncertainty just comes that unknown and
07:23 kind of just has to play out over time.
07:24 >> If that were to happen, you have 16 years here, five years in the off,
07:28 you have a lot of stability in your life in the middle class.
07:31 How weird would that be to walk into a brand new city with a brand new practice
07:35 facility and meet the whole brand new group of guys and get those relationships?
07:38 >> Yeah, it would be weird, no question.
07:40 I think that's the thing too that I enjoy the most.
07:44 I think all of you that I've talked to over the years, I love being a teammate.
07:49 I love that.
07:50 I love the camaraderie and just being a teammate.
07:54 The people, I mean, that's what makes it.
07:55 That's what makes this whole thing special.
07:59 So I think that's what will make it hard.
08:01 But I think we could all agree.
08:04 I mean, I'd like the people at those places too probably.
08:07 You know what I mean?
08:08 You'd quickly get to where you're like, shoot, this guy reminds me of him.
08:10 I mean, you'd quickly get adapted.
08:12 And again, it's just because it's such an unknown that who knows.
08:18 And again, I'm making no predictions by any means.
08:21 But I think that would be a hard adjustment, but
08:25 probably one that's not as hard as maybe I think,
08:28 just because this is the only place I've known.
08:30 There's been a lot of different people come through here too.
08:32 I just hadn't left.
08:33 There are a lot of different teammates that have become my favorites that I
08:36 didn't know eight years ago.
08:38 So I think that those kind of things happen wherever you end up.
08:43 >> So at this point in retirement, you're gonna be an option?
08:45 >> I don't think so.
08:46 It's not, right?
08:47 As I stand today, as long as somebody wants me, I'll be playing somewhere.
08:51 But I mean, shoot, in a month, I don't know,
08:55 I may be ready to put on a headset and call ball play.
08:58 I don't know, I really don't.
09:00 But yes, as honest as I can answer right now, if one of 32 teams want me and
09:05 it's the right situation, and I can start that 225th game in a row,
09:10 I'll be running out there.
09:11 >> [INAUDIBLE]
09:19 >> Again, I don't wanna give you
09:20 a disrespectful answer, cuz I think, heck yeah, they do.
09:23 They're one of 12 that's in it.
09:25 So that's the way I see it.
09:26 They're one of 12 teams that's in it.
09:27 We've seen six seeds win it, we've seen five seeds win it.
09:29 They're gonna be a two seed.
09:29 So heck yeah, they have a chance.
09:31 I think anytime you have the speed they have on offense and
09:33 a quarterback that can make every throw.
09:35 And then the defensive, kind of doing this.
09:39 They've kind of been doing this over the last six weeks.
09:41 You just see it, the way they communicate.
09:43 Obviously, 32 is a heck of a player.
09:44 29 is playing some safety now.
09:45 I've always thought 49 for them was underappreciated.
09:49 All the things he brings.
09:51 You had a guy like Suggs that still, obviously,
09:53 as I found out today, still got some juice left.
09:55 We already talked about 95 and 55.
09:57 I think the corners are solid.
09:59 So heck yeah, they can.
10:01 And I think Spagnola, he just keeps everybody, he keeps you on your toes.
10:04 And I think that style of defense with those weapons,
10:08 they may give up some plays.
10:09 But they also may score the very next play because of what they have on
10:13 the offensive side.
10:14 >> You gave your love to some fans, did you stand after?
10:17 >> There was one guy in particular back there that I,
10:19 you almost feel like you get to know over however many years he's been standing
10:22 right there.
10:24 I laugh because many years ago, me and
10:28 Charlie Whitehurst were going to Oklahoma Joe's and we're standing in lines,
10:31 a long line.
10:32 And we're in there and there's nothing but Chiefs fans everywhere.
10:35 And here we are standing there and now we've been seen and we're standing in line.
10:38 It is a brutal line.
10:40 And we stand in there about three minutes and Charlie looks at me and says,
10:42 are we staying in this line?
10:43 And I go, I'm good, let's just go.
10:45 So we left.
10:46 So next day we're here at the game and this guy hollers at me, hey Rivers,
10:49 let me tell you how we do it at Oklahoma Joe's.
10:51 You stand in line like everybody else, you order, you get your plate.
10:54 So since then I was like, how the heck do you know I was in there?
10:58 And then there's always just been this kind of, he gives it to me a little bit and
11:04 then we'll make a good play and he kind of goes, hey,
11:06 so there's kind of been that back and forth.
11:08 And we caught eye contact at some point and he said, can I get those?
11:12 So I thought, what the heck if it's the last time in here?
11:15 And those gloves, who knows where they would have ended up had I not done that
11:20 over the next six months, I wouldn't have seen them anyway.
11:23 >> Is it the first time you get in there?
11:25 >> I don't know, probably to an opposing fan, maybe, I don't know.
11:28 >> I mean, that guy's- >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:31 >> Phil, people are saying you're in your career,
11:33 what are you proudest of, what are the sort of-
11:35 >> Yeah, I think, and
11:39 I really like to talk about the team, the team, the team,
11:41 because that's what's most important to me.
11:43 But I think I'll answer this individually.
11:45 I think the 224 starts in the regular season,
11:48 obviously there's however many 11 playoff games.
11:50 I think that's probably one of the most personal,
11:53 most meaningful things, to have been able to be out there every week.
11:57 Some of it's toughness, some of it's being blessed with being healthy enough.
12:01 And some of it's the guys, James Collins and Damon and the staff and
12:05 all the doctors, Dr. Chow and those guys helping me find a way to get out there.
12:09 So that's one just from a personal standpoint of actually suiting up and
12:13 trotting out there every game for 200 and whatever in a row.
12:17 And I think other than that, I mean, I think it's that I can say I gave it
12:21 everything I had, I mean, every week.
12:24 So, and maybe it means an interception on 4th and 18 when you're down 10,
12:29 because I don't care that it's gonna say two interceptions.
12:33 I really don't, it's just like I ain't quitting.
12:36 So I think that, that doing it with so
12:40 many guys over 14 years and going to the locker room, win or lose.
12:46 And I can say, we fell short, or we won, but shoot, I couldn't try it any harder.
12:56 So I think two different kind of elements there, but
12:58 I think that's the two things that come to my mind.
13:01 >> Ralph and.
13:01 >> All right, thanks.
13:04 >> All right, guys.
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