Chargers Head Coach Anthony Lynn Believes QB Philip Rivers Will Play Sunday
Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn believes quarterback Philip Rivers will play on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills after suffering a concussion last week.
Although the 35-year-old has not yet cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and was limited in practice Thursday, Chargers coach Anthony Lynn said Thursday he believes Rivers will be eligible to play this week.
"We think he'll play, but that's up to the doctors," Lynn said, per ESPN. "That's not my decision."
As part of the program, an independent neurologist must clear Rivers before he's allowed to return to the field.
When asked if he feels better about the chances of seeing Rivers on the field, Lynn responded, "Yes, I do."
On Monday, Rivers was placed in the concussion protocol even though he did not leave Sunday's overtime loss to the Jaguars. He self-reported concussion symptoms to the team, which speculated that the head injury may have occurred when Rivers was hit by a pair of Jaguars defenders.
“I think that the move to self-report is admirable,” Lynn said Thursday. “Concussions, especially the light that’s been shone on it the last 10 years, head injuries and things of that nature need to be taken seriously. So I admire him for the way that he handled it.”
Rivers completed 21 of 37 passes for 235 yards in the loss to the Jaguars and threw an interception in the extra period that allowed Jacksonville to set up the game-winning field goal.
Since becoming the Chargers starting quarterback in 2006, Rivers has started 185 consecutive games, the fourth-best streak all-time and the second-best active streak behind Eli Manning's 208.
Rivers’s backup is veteran Kellen Clemens, who has thrown 10 passes in the last four seasons. Cardale Jones is also on the roster.
