LaDainian Tomlinson says Chargers should trade Philip Rivers

LaDainian Tomlinson doesn’t want to see former teammate Philip Rivers languish on a non-contending team late in his career.

Tomlinson said on the NFL Network that the Chargers should trade Rivers to a contender.

“Chargers are rebuilding right now…The best thing to do is trade [Rivers].”@LT_21 gets real on GameDay Prime!https://t.co/GdmdlL5fte

— NFL Network (@nflnetwork) October 3, 2016

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Rivers has thrown seven touchdown passes and just one interception this season, but the Chargers are 1-3 after blowing a 34-21 fourth-quarter lead and losing 35-34 to the Saints on Sunday.

Rivers led the Chargers to the playoffs every year from 2006 to 2009, reaching the AFC championship game in 2007. Since then, however, the Chargers have made the playoffs just once, losing in the 2013 divisional playoffs at Denver.

Unlike Ben Roethlisberger and Eli Manning, the two other gems of the 2004 quarterback draft class, Rivers hasn’t won a Super Bowl or even been to one. He turns 35 this season.

“Trade him to a contender and let this man get a chance to win a championship. That way you still get something for him,” Tomlinson said.

The problem is that Rivers has a no-trade clause in his contract. He also has eight children. It might be difficult to uproot such a big family at this point in his life or to spend more time away from that family.

Rivers is deeply religious, so perhaps there’s more to life for him than Super Bowl rings.