Philip Rivers Emotional Following Chargers' Week 17 Loss: 'I Gave It Everything I Had'

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Philip Rivers was brought to near tears following Los Angeles' 31-21 loss to the Kansas City when discussing the totality of his Chargers career.

"I think I can say I gave it everything I had… doing it with so many guys over 14 years,” Rivers reflected. “And going to the locker room, win or lose and I could say, “Dadgum it, we fell short,’ or we won. I couldn't have tried any harder.”

Rivers, who is a free agent this offseason, added that he would consider playing for a team other than Los Angeles. Retirement, he said, is not an option.

The 4th pick in the 2004 NFL draft, Rivers has played his entire career with the Chargers. He made eight Pro Bowls, throwing for more than 4,500 yards five times, going 123-101 as a starter and 5-6 in the playoffs. 

Los Angeles finished the 2019 season 5-11.

In recent weeks, the QB has been open about the team's often sub-par support at home.

"I think we definitely have gotten used to it," he said after the team's Week 16 loss to Minnesota. "What will be in years to come remains to be seen. It's tough.

That didn't have anything to do with the outcome of the game, but being someone who remembers what it used to be like at home games it's pretty bad, you know. I appreciate the Chargers fans that are out there, but it's disheartening, to say the least. I don't think all our guys understand that ... the guys that have been here for a long time certainly know what it used to be like."

For more than a decade, San Diego tried to get a new stadium to keep the Chargers in the city but was unable to find a proper location. There were at least nine different stadium proposals since 2003.

Rivers was an advocate of staying in San Diego, not wanting the franchise to relocate.

He may soon be the one relocating. 

The Chargers' all-time passing leader had 281 yards passing and two touchdowns on Sunday, bringing his season-long total to 4,615 yards and 23 scores.