By Philip Rivers on Potentially Reuniting with LaDainian Tomlinson: “I wouldn’t have any objection to it whatsoever.”
May 22, 2012 – 9:00 am by Steven Cuce
Philip Rivers probably couldn’t wait to move on from the disappointment of missing out on the playoffs last season. The Chargers quarterback sure is liking what he is seeing out of his new teammates, especially his new receiving core, which has a new look this season due to some key acquisitions. Number 17 now throws to targets such as Robert Meachem, Eddie Royal, Michael Spurlock and Roscoe Parrish, to name but a few.
The Chargers may have lost Vincent Jackson, but their signal caller sounds like he believes this group can bring a better and more dynamic offense to the table on Sundays this fall. Last week here at SRI we checked in with LaDainian Tomlinson. From the sound of it, the former Charger may be hanging it up and retiring. While the local media in California may be wishing too hard for a LT reunion in San Diego, his former quarterback would welcome him back with open arms.
Philip Rivers joined XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego with Darren Smith to discuss offseason workouts with his Chargers teammates, his first workouts with Robert Meachem, the possibility of reuniting with LaDainian Tomlinson and the value of LT in the locker room.
What has it been like at Chargers camp?
“It’s been real good. I think we are getting more done and the setup has been really good. The first two weeks was just lifting and running with no coaches. We go out and throw a couple of days a week on our own, but this past week we have been on the field with the coaches. It’s really good. This year is different than other years when we kind of saw all the same familiar faces and who we were going to be throwing to. There’s a lot of new bodies out there, so for me it has been real important and good to be out there throwing and working with these guys. I think too there is 85 guys out there at one time and you really get that sense of team building early on when in the offseason it’s just staggered groups and there’s 15 in a group and there’s 30 in a group, but we’re all out there. The whole team is out there is pretty impressive really. We are all working, conditioning, throwing and doing drills and then we go in and lift. I think we have gotten a lot done. A week from tomorrow we start the official OTA’s. It will just turn it up a notch from what we are doing because we can go against the defense and actually get some competitive work. It’s been a pretty good 5-6 weeks.”
How are your new teammates? Can Robert Meachem run around and catch now?
“Oh yeah. Oh yeah. He looks real good. He looks real good. He’s running around and picking up the offense super fast. As is Eddie Royal, Michael Spurlock and Roscoe Parrish. Dante Rosario has fit in. One things about these guys before and we’ve had this in year’s past. This isn’t a reflection of past guys that we have had, but all the guys we have added much like the nucleus of our team really love to play football and they really have a knack for how to play and I know that sounds like doesn’t everyone in the NFL have that? But it’s not really a given. These guys we’ve added really love to play and they are really football savy and smart. These receivers that we’ve added and I know the guys we have added on defense they have really caught on quickly to the system of what we are trying to get done and that’s fun. We’re starting to look like a team. What I mean by that is Eddie is learning new stuff in a new system. Meachem is learning new stuff, but now we are getting to where we call plays and breaking the huddle and going and going and going. This looks like we have been together for awhile and that’s what you want and certainly we are not there yet. It has been great, but these guys are different from what we have had. Different guys than we have had in the past, which will give us the ability to do different stuff and it’s been fun to throw to them.”
Just hypothetically speaking would you have an issue if the Chargers went out there and signed LaDainian Tomlinson?
“Oh gosh…no. Not at all. Not at all. I don’t like to play the what if game or play GM, but absolutely not. I love LT and all that he brought and meant to us when he was here. I don’t know if that is being considered or that’s even an option, but I wouldn’t have any objection to it whatsoever.”
The Chargers may not consider bringing LaDainian Tomlinson back and he could be hanging it up, but it seems like a good fit since the team needs a third down running back. Are there any issues we don’t know about LaDainian Tomlinson in terms of his locker room presence?
“No. I can’t speak for every guy, but I don’t think there is anything at all. I think that emotions is a big part of this game and I think that’s long gone of anything that may have been or anything that may been said or anything anyone may have felt. I know he and I have talked a handful of times since he’s been gone. I express to him every time that I appreciated playing with him. From an individual standpoint and speaking individually I got to play with a Hall of Famer and one of the best backs to play that had so many touchdowns and yards, so it was quite the privilege to play with him. I always try to tell him that I hate that we didn’t win a championship while he was here and like I was telling a lot of guys they move on and we’re in year nine now. We’re about to be those guys at some point and that’s why we are fighting like crazy to get it done.”
Listen to Philip Rivers on XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego here
Tags: Darren Smith, NFL, Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers, XX 1090 Sports Radio in San Diego
4 Trackback(s)
May 22, 2012: San Diego Chargers WR Robert Meachem Participating Fully In OTAs : NFLTradeRumors.coNFL Trade Rumors
May 22, 2012: [Chargers News] San Diego Chargers WR Robert Meachem Participating Fully In OTAs – GridironFans.com
May 23, 2012: Philip Rivers supports LaDainian Tomlinson reunion | Best Reunion Planning
Jun 17, 2012: The Latest Fuzz : A bit of Buzz from Doc J
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