Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers says he plans to play in 2020 and start his 225th game in a row.
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00:00What was going through your mind after the game was over and you were walking around the field?
00:04Were you thinking big picture or was it what was going through your mind?
00:30Was there a moment where you wished them the best and told them go get them?
00:34There was one moment where Chris Jones peeked into the pen and you backed and you gave him a little slap.
01:03You gave him a little slug between the tap and the slap.
01:33Is the love of the game still there for you?
02:03Nothing like it, competing at this level, living the dream.
02:06Even in a situation where you're 5-10.
02:10I was asked at some point this week, what's the motivation?
02:14It's like, shoot, the motivation?
02:16I'm 38 years old and get to play the Kansas City Chiefs at this place?
02:19Are you kidding me?
02:20I don't care what the record is.
02:22That tells me that I still got some juice left.
02:26I love to prepare.
02:27Talking to Coach Spagnuolo afterwards, I'd never really spoken to him.
02:32Again, I appreciate it.
02:34Just that mutual respect of him saying the challenge for preparing,
02:38knowing the stuff that I try to get done.
02:40Likewise for him because he makes it dang tough.
02:42Those kind of things are what's awesome throughout the week.
02:47I do still enjoy that.
02:49How much of that juice comes from your desire to prepare and still go through it?
02:53I want to hear it in play every week.
02:54How much of it now has gotten gone to, again,
02:56a little chip on your shoulder to make sure you're still familiar with it?
02:59I really don't think that's there.
03:01I think, again, no disrespect, but I think it can become just cliche.
03:07If you're 38 and you throw a bunch of interceptions,
03:09that's what they're going to say.
03:10Can't throw it anymore.
03:11Can't throw it out.
03:12Can't throw this.
03:13Arm strength.
03:14I almost laugh at it because I want to go,
03:16let's sit down and watch 16 games together and we can see every play you want.
03:20I'll tell you the ones that, yeah, that was horrible.
03:22Look at that terrible throw.
03:24Then I'll go, now what do you want to see about this throw?
03:26And so on.
03:27So there's really no chip to prove anything to anybody.
03:30I know the people that know, know.
03:32And that's that I still can play at a high level.
03:36Have I made plenty of mistakes this year that hurt us in some games?
03:39Yes.
03:40Were we in some games we could have overcome them?
03:42Absolutely.
03:43You see it all over the league.
03:44So just like today, the stats won't tell the whole story today.
03:47So that's why at this point in my career I could care less about them.
03:50The only stat is about winning and losing.
03:54And, again, I didn't do enough this year to help us win more football games.
03:57And I take responsibility for that in the plays
04:01and the mistakes that I should be responsible for.
04:04But as far as can I do it, there's no question.
04:07Do I still want to?
04:09Absolutely.
04:10So if you did come back and you're able to kind of clean up some of those
04:14three-day swings, get some guys in,
04:16do you think you guys can get back where you want to be?
04:19I think there's a chance.
04:20I think there is a lot of questions to be answered.
04:22It's not just a matter of if I'm back and if I play well,
04:25we'll go win 12 games.
04:26I think we're far from that being the just check that box
04:31and everything will be good.
04:32If he doesn't turn it over, we're good.
04:34I think that would be inaccurate.
04:37There's a lot of question marks moving forward.
04:39And I think as those get answered and how those get answered,
04:43and along with my personal – that will clear up a lot of things.
04:49Is that part of your evaluation process on whether or not to win?
04:51No question.
04:52No question.
04:53You've obviously been very focused on the moment.
04:55Has there been times where you've sort of taken it all in
04:59and slowed it down and appreciated sort of, you know?
05:05Yeah, I think so.
05:06Start side of your career?
05:07No question.
05:08You know, whether it's exactly the end or not, which it still could be,
05:12but either way we're probably on 16, you know,
05:16playing a little par three with only two holes to go, you know.
05:20And definitely on that back stretch.
05:22So I think I have, you know,
05:23and there's been times I've been a little emotional,
05:25even at the house talking through things and thinking about, man,
05:28the last blitz protection meeting or the last, you know, bus ride, you know.
05:33So those things, you know, I have gotten to every now and then.
05:37And that's when my wife says, shoot, just don't –
05:39if you try to hold it in, it'll all blow up at some point.
05:41So I have allowed myself to do that, but at the same point go, shoot,
05:45don't let that ruin the moment that you're in.
05:48Just be right here and enjoy it like I always have.
05:50Because I am – I can say I don't feel like I've ever taken it for granted,
05:53but certainly in year seven, you know, at the end of the year,
05:56you don't leave this game, in this situation,
05:59feeling the same way I feel right now.
06:01So it is a little different.
06:03But kind of just, again, be in the present.
06:08That was really my whole thing about today is just be right here
06:11and shoot, play, go play.
06:13And I thought we did that.
06:14And again, that doesn't mean it's enough.
06:16It's ultimately not enough.
06:18But I do think that you can walk out of here with your head held high
06:21when you fight and compete and do it the only way you know how.
06:24And so that's one thing I'll never apologize for
06:26and never really feel ashamed of.
06:29Because I just – I do it the way I know how as hard as I can do it.
06:32And sometimes it's enough, sometimes it's not.
06:34And that's the only way I'll continue to do it.
06:37You mentioned this could be your last game in this uniform.
06:39Would you consider wearing a different uniform
06:42if that opportunity presented itself?
06:45Yeah, I mean, I plan to play football.
06:47So, yeah, I mean, again, where that's going to be,
06:50I think we'll get sorted out over the next, what is it, three months.
06:53I guess I've never been in this position.
06:55I usually don't even know when the league year starts
06:57and when all those things are.
06:58So, we'll just kind of see.
07:00Again, I'm very thankful for the 16 years.
07:03And if there's another, I'll be thankful for that one.
07:06But I think with uncertainty just comes that unknown
07:09and kind of just has to play out over time.
07:13You have 16 years here, five years in L.A.
07:15You have a lot of stability in your life for the most part.
07:18How weird would that be to walk into a brand-new city
07:21with a brand-new practice facility
07:23and meet the whole brand-new bunch of guys
07:24and get into a relationship?
07:25Yeah, it would be weird, no question.
07:27I think that's the thing, too, that I enjoy the most.
07:31I think all of you that I've talked to over the years,
07:35I love being a teammate.
07:36I love that.
07:37And I love the camaraderie and just being a teammate.
07:41People, I mean, that's what makes it.
07:43That's what makes this whole thing special.
07:46So, I think that's what will make it hard,
07:48but I think we could all agree.
07:51I mean, I'd like the people at those places, too, probably.
07:55You'd quickly get to where you're like,
07:57shoot, this guy reminds me of him.
07:58I mean, you'd quickly get adapted.
08:01And again, it's just because it's such an unknown that who knows.
08:05And again, I'm making no predictions by any means,
08:10but I think that would be a hard adjustment,
08:12but probably one that's not as hard as maybe I think,
08:15just because this is the only place I've known.
08:17There's been a lot of different people come through here, too.
08:19I just hadn't left.
08:20There are a lot of different teammates that have become my favorites
08:23that I didn't know eight years ago.
08:25So, I think those kind of things happen wherever you end up.
08:30So, at this point, retirement is an option?
08:32I don't think so.
08:33It's not, right?
08:34As I stand today, as long as somebody wants me,
08:36I'll be playing somewhere.
08:39But, I mean, shoot, in a month, I don't know,
08:42I may be ready to put on a headset and call a ball play.
08:45I don't know.
08:46I really don't.
08:47But, yes, as honest as I can answer right now,
08:50if one of 32 teams want me and it's the right situation
08:53and I can start that 225th game in a row,
08:57I'll be running out there.
09:00Coach, when you look at the Chiefs team,
09:02you've seen championship teams.
09:04Do they have a look of a team that they know?
09:06You know, again, I don't want to give you a disrespectful answer,
09:08because I think, heck, yeah, they do.
09:10They're one of 12 that's in it.
09:12So, that's the way I see it.
09:13They're one of 12 teams that's in it.
09:14We've seen six seeds win it.
09:15We've seen five seeds win it.
09:16They're going to be a two seed.
09:17So, heck, yeah, they have a chance.
09:18I think any time you have the speed they have on offense
09:20and a quarterback that can make every throw
09:22and then the defensive kind of doing this.
09:26They've kind of been doing this over the last six weeks.
09:28You just see it.
09:29The way they communicate.
09:30Obviously, 32 is the height of a player.
09:3129 is playing some safety now.
09:33I've always thought 49 for them was underappreciated.
09:36All the things he brings.
09:38You had a guy like Suggs that still, obviously, as I found out today,
09:41still got some juice left.
09:42We already talked about 95 and 55.
09:44I think the corners are solid.
09:46So, heck, yeah, they can.
09:48And I think Spagnuolo just keeps everybody – he keeps you on your toes.
09:52And I think that style of defense with those weapons, you know,
09:55they may give up some plays,
09:56but they also may score the very next play
09:59because of what they have on the offensive side.
10:01You gave your love to some fans since you've been in the section.
10:04There was one guy in particular back there that I –
10:06you almost feel like you get to know over however many years
10:09he's been standing right there.
10:12I laugh because he – many years ago,
10:15me and Charlie Whitehurst were going to Oklahoma Joes,
10:17and we were standing in lines, a long line, and we were in there
10:20and there was nothing but Chiefs fans everywhere.
10:22And here we are standing there.
10:23Now we've been seen and we're standing in line.
10:25It is a brutal line.
10:27And we stand in there about three minutes and Charlie looks at me and says,
10:29are we staying in this line?
10:31And I go, I'm good, let's just go.
10:32So we left.
10:33So the next day we're here at the game and this guy hollers at me, hey,
10:36Rivers, let me tell you how we do it at Oklahoma Joes.
10:38You stand in line like everybody else.
10:40You order, you get your plate.
10:42So since then I was like, how the heck did you know I was in there?
10:45And then there's always just been this kind of – he gives it to me a little bit
10:50and then we'll make a good play.
10:52We'll make a good play.
10:53And he kind of goes, hey.
10:54So there's kind of been that back and forth.
10:56And we caught eye contact at some point and he said, can I get those?
11:00So I thought, what the heck if it's the last time I'm in here.
11:04And those gloves, who knows where they would have ended up
11:06had I not done that over the next six months.
11:09I wouldn't have seen them anyway.
11:10Is it the first time you get in there?
11:12I don't know, probably to an opposing fan, maybe.
11:15I don't know.
11:16Oh, yeah.
11:17Yeah, yeah, yeah.
11:18Phil, people are saying you're in your career.
11:20What are you proudest of?
11:24Yeah, I think – and I really like to talk about the team, the team, the team.
11:28Because that's what's most important to me.
11:30But I think I'll answer this individually.
11:33I think the 224 starts in the regular season,
11:35obviously there's however many 11 playoff games.
11:37I think that's probably one of the most personal, most meaningful things,
11:41being able to be out there every week.
11:44Some of it's toughness.
11:45Some of it's being blessed with being healthy enough.
11:48And some of it's the guys, James Collins and Damon and the staff
11:52and all the doctors, Dr. Chow and those guys
11:54helping me find a way to get out there.
11:56So that's one just from a personal standpoint of actually suiting up
12:00and trotting out there every game for 200 and whatever in a row.
12:04And I think other than that, I mean, I think it's that I can say
12:08I gave it everything I had, I mean, every week.
12:12And maybe it means an interception on 4th and 18 when you're down 10.
12:16Because I don't care that it's going to say two interceptions.
12:20I really don't.
12:21It's just like I ain't quitting.
12:23So I think that, doing it with so many guys over 14 years
12:30and going to the locker room, win or lose,
12:33and I can say, we fell short or we won.
12:40But shoot, I couldn't try it any harder.
12:43So I think two different kind of elements there.
12:45But I think that's the two things that come to my mind.
12:48We're out there.