They make good, often great, money — some in the millions and millions — and their livelihood is playing a game.
But their futures typically are etched in sand, with the tide always threatening to rush in with little notice.
“It’s a strange life to live,” Chargers tight end Gerald Everett said. “It’s a strange career to have. Most people will never understand that. But that’s just the nature of our profession, the politics and everything else that goes into it.”
So here the Chargers are, with two games remaining in a season that has soured, a group originally built to last falling apart after just a few months.
In barely a week, all the brotherhood preached and practiced, all the bonds formed as the foundation for success will be pushed to the edge as the franchise readies for a reset that could be substantial.
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“That’s the business we signed up for,” safety Alohi Gilman said. “It’s a little nuts, yeah, but we all know this is part of the deal. It’s a risky business, I guess you could say.”
Brandon Staley already has been fired as head coach and Tom Telesco as general manager. Everett and Gilman are among the team’s 20 pending unrestricted free agents.
Even the veterans signed beyond this year — including Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa, Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Eric Kendricks — face uncertainty as the Chargers’ new leadership must look for financial flexibility.
The team is projected to be nearly $35 million over the salary cap entering next season, according to the website overthecap. Only three teams — Miami, Buffalo and New Orleans — are in worse shape.
“We don’t even know what might happen tomorrow,” Everett said. “We just lost our head coach, so … All you can do is do your job, your job that day, whatever it is.”
Chargers tight end Gerald Everett (left) said he had a good relationship with now-fired coach Brandon Staley. (Ashley…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/only-certainty-players-dismantling-chargers-123025516.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2023-12-29 12:30:25
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