Steelers MMQB: NFL preseason week 1 wrap up
By Kim Myers
Rivers cashes in
Aug 13, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) and San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) shake hands after a preseason NFL football game at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The soon-to-be Los Angeles Chargers made sure that Philip Rivers would be playing with them in the future no matter where they move to. The team announced on Sunday that they agreed to terms with Rivers on a four-year extension with $65 million in guaranteed money.
That’s a lot of money to keep the Chargers’ consolation prize in the 2004 NFL Draft. This is why Steelers fans have to be grateful for Ben Roethlisberger. Not only did the team dodge a bullet back in 2004 when after Rivers was taken by the Giants and Bill Cowher wanted to take Kellen Winslow Jr. Dan Rooney stepped in and decided the team couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have a franchise quarterback and elected to take Roethlisberger with the eleventh pick.
The team also has had the fortunes of having a top caliber franchise quarterback for the past eleven years. The contracts signed by players like Rivers and Ryan Tannehill is basically their franchises saying they’d rather spend $65 million to not have to draft a quarterback and start all over.
I hope Ben Roethlisberger can play into his 40s.
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