Even if he came off as bratty during some of the game telecasts, Philip Rivers was neither a whiner nor an excuse-maker when he played in San Diego, so it is no surprise that he’s the same guy now as his employer moves the firm to Orange County and Los Angeles.

There is hassle to any move, and there may be headaches to come from training in Costa Mesa and playing in Carson and flying out of Long Beach — but Rivers said none of the relocation challenges should have any bearing on the football team’s performance.

“I can’t imagine it will,” the San Diego-dwelling, Los Angeles Chargers* quarterback said in a recent chat with the Union-Tribune.

“Because we’re gonna know. When we get to camp on July 30th or whenever, we’re gonna have known now for almost seven months. So, it’s not like it’s a middle of the night move and everybody’s saying, ‘What are we doing?’


“So,” he said, “I think everybody should be pretty settled in by the time training camp starts.”

Other people will make excuses for the Chargers* if they flop in greater L.A.

Peter King, a football writer I respect a great deal, has already suggested that the relocation will make the job tougher for head coach Anthony Lynn, his staff and players.

Lynn disagrees, saying the team is in position to have a good season.


King cited the upheaval the Rams went through last year after returning to Los Angeles.

King is close to Rams leaders who allowed him in their draft room to witness their discussions, so he probably has heard tales of woe relating to the scattered logistics the Rams faced and will continue to face until their stadium is built.

A few things to bear in mind: 1) the Rams were moving from St. Louis, 2) the Rams brought a poor team, notably a rinky-dink offense, to L.A., 3) the Chargers*, for all their ills last year, scored about 26 points per game, 4) the new L.A. arrival has a franchise quarterback in Rivers, 35.

Would the Rams have performed any better in St. Louis?


Here is another view on relocation: It can breed a useful “us against the world” outlook among players and coaches.

“I’d like to believe we will create a homefield advantage,” said safety Dwight Lowery.

Lowery reasons that the uniqueness of playing in a small soccer stadium, whose seating capacity isn’t even half of that of most NFL venues, should be a rallying point for the Chargers*.

“Let’s use it to build an identity,” he said.


Rivers said the players will have no excuses if they let the relocation distract or unsettle them.

“Right now, it’s none,” he said of how the move might adversely affect the team.

“Right now -- again, I’m not being insensitive to all that’s gone on here in San Diego – but for us, as we stand right now, this right now is normal.”

In San Diego and among the NFL national media, the uncertainty of the franchise’s future was cited as a burden to the 2016 Chargers and a reason for their 5-11 record.


Seemed like an excuse.

Under nearly the same type of cloud, the 2016 Oakland Raiders went 12-4.

Rivers is stating facts. He and teammates and their families have known since January that the team will be working out of Orange County and Los Angeles.

While the hassles to the move are real, they should have no bearing on the team’s win-loss record.


Tom.Krasovic@SDUnionTribune.com; Twitter: SDUTKrasovic