San Diego Chargers general manager Tom Telesco has revealed that the club were determined to lock down the future of quarterback Philip Rivers.
The 33-year-old signed a four-year contract extension with the AFC West side, ending speculation regarding his future at the club after he was linked with a trade move to the Tennessee Titans earlier in the off-season.
However, Telesco is adamant that the Chargers were intent on keeping Rivers at the club to aid their push for the Super Bowl.
He told reporters: "When you have a quarterback you feel can lead you to a championship, and does everything you ask on and off the field, your number one goal is to have him long term and we have him here.
"This has been our goal all the way through to have him finish his career as a Charger.
"Certainly I think long-term having player certainty where we know we have a franchise quarterback going forward, and knowing at what cost he'll be for the next five years, that helps put the roster together."
Rivers has thrown for 36,655 yards and 252 touchdowns to 122 interceptions in his 11 years in the NFL.
Simon Sinclair
