Austin Ekeler dishes on Chargers departure, trade request before joining Commanders

Former Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler has shared some insight into how his time with the team ended.

Now going into his second year with the Washington Commanders, the 30-year-old Ekeler recently appeared on Stories Untold and told the hosts that he had asked the Chargers about a trade before the 2023 season.

Let Ekeler tell it, the Chargers weren’t willing to work with him on a big contract extension after he posted 12 and 13 rushing touchdowns in consecutive seasons. So he asked for a trade, with the Chargers telling him they wanted a first-round pick back in return.

The lesson? Leverage. Ekeler went on to play the final year of his contract during the five-win 2023 season, rushing for just 628 yards and five scores before leaving for Washington.

At face value, it’s not hard to see why the Chargers weren’t super enthusiastic about giving out a big contract to an aging running back, given where the team was at the time and the nature of the position.

Still, Ekeler certainly feels like a Jim Harbaugh guy and has functioned as such for a reborn Commanders franchise.

The Chargers, meanwhile, forge ahead with veteran Najee Harris and first-round pick Omarion Hampton.

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