Philip Rivers Signs Extension With San Diego: What This Means For Chargers’ L.A. Move

Philip Rivers is staying put with the Chargers. But which city he’ll be representing when he takes the field in future seasons appears very much in doubt.

As reported by the Inquisitr, Rivers has signed an official extension with the Chargers, who traded for Philip on draft day 11 years ago. His signing comes as talks to move the team from San Diego to L.A. have picked up steam.

As reported by Fox Sports, one of Rivers’ points of contention with resigning with the Chargers earlier in the year was the uncertainty surrounding the team’s proposed move to Los Angeles.

“Earlier this year, Rivers didn’t seem keen on moving to L.A. if the team moved. He has said he’d be OK playing out his current deal, but also said he’d be open to an extension, as long as talks didn’t drag out into the season.”

And it was clearly on his mind up until this past week when an agreement had been reached.

“In the offseason, in the time off, those things, naturally — we’re human right? — naturally you think about that,” Rivers told CBS Sports at the Charger training camp this week. “Gosh, L.A., and you hear some of the different news, but you don’t know what’s true and what’s not. The contract, you think, sure, you think about it. But then once you get to training camp it’s really like, ‘Alright, what I’ve been saying for the last six months is that I’m excited to be the quarterback for the 2015 Chargers. So that’s why I’m here. That’s what I get to do.'”

The fact that the team would be staying put at least in the 2015-2016 season had to sit well with Rivers.

“We’re not going to be in LA this year, and contract or not, I know I have one for this year, and let’s just go play. That’s really all it is. Let’s go play and let that other stuff take care of itself.”

So where does this leave the Chargers and owner Carmen Policy’s stance on uprooting the team to L.A.? According to ESPN, Policy is “committed” to moving the team north. In fact, the Chargers have partnered with the Oakland Raiders on plans for a $1.7 billion stadium in Carson if they can’t get new stadiums in their home markets.

The Chargers walked away from negotiations for a new stadium in San Diego in mid-June. Mayor Kevin Faulconer has said that if a term sheet isn’t reached by September 11, there won’t even be a special election in January to keep the team there.

Which means Philip Rivers may be lacing up the Los Angeles Chargers, not the San Diego Chargers, sooner than he thinks.

[Philip Rivers photo credit: Brian Davidson / Getty Images]