SAN DIEGO — Because the Chargers’ workforce bus rolled down the freeway previous Poway and towards San Diego, Tony Jefferson couldn’t assist however smile.
This seems like house.
Eight years after the Chargers left San Diego, the group is reintroducing itself to town with two days of coaching camp this week. Followers who couldn’t safe tickets to follow on the College of San Diego on Tuesday nonetheless clamored for a glimpse from the highest of a close-by hill. Jefferson, a San Diego native who grew up rooting for the Chargers, has been blissful to see the help develop after the franchise’s contentious departure.
“With any sports team that leaves the city, [fans] feel empty when it comes to that spot,” mentioned Jefferson, who signed with the Chargers final yr. “But I think we’re gradually filling that void back.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh’s quite a few ties to San Diego and instantaneous profitable appeared to easy out a possible reunion with town. When workforce executives approached him about returning to San Diego for coaching camp, the coach eagerly agreed. He advised the College of San Diego campus, the place he obtained his head teaching begin in 2004 for the Toreros.
Greater than twenty years later, this week’s practices are a homecoming for Harbaugh, but it surely’s not an olive department for the Chargers group, he insisted.
“It is all about the great fans we have,” Harbaugh mentioned in June. “We want to go to our fans. We want to go to our Chargers supporters and they’re everywhere.”
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh instructs gamers throughout coaching camp in San Diego on Tuesday.
(Gregory Bull / Related Press)
Though the Chargers returned this week, they didn’t throw the doorways open to all followers. Each of their practices had been restricted in attendance. Tuesday’s follow was open to solely active-duty navy and veterans. Wednesday’s is reserved for season ticket holders.
Gamers signed autographs for nearly an hour after follow Tuesday. Quarterback Justin Herbert looped again twice in entrance of a swath of followers that ran three bus-lengths lengthy. Security Derwin James Jr., who by no means performed in San Diego after getting drafted in 2018, was in awe of all of the No. 3 jerseys he noticed within the crowd.
“It made my heart warm just having so much support,” James mentioned. “I can’t wait to give them something to cheer for.”
Harbaugh’s historical past as a participant has helped the Chargers faucet again into their roots whereas celebrating their most iconic gamers. The coach who performed two seasons for the Chargers referred to as former teammate Rodney Harrison to tell the security that he could be inducted into the Chargers’ Corridor of Fame in October. Legendary tight finish Antonio Gates will enter the Professional Soccer Corridor of Fame in lower than two weeks. 5 years after enjoying the ultimate season of his 17-year profession with the Indianapolis Colts, quarterback Philip Rivers reversed course to place a extra becoming punctuation mark on his profession by asserting Monday that he would formally retire as a Charger.
Doubling down on the nostalgia, the Chargers unveiled throwback various navy jerseys that had been a success amongst gamers and followers. Seeing the navy uniform with gold-lined white lightning bolts “struck me at the core,” Jefferson mentioned. It was similar to the primary NFL jersey he owned: a Junior Seau jersey he obtained for Christmas.
The Chargers had been on the middle of just about all of Jefferson’s core NFL recollections rising up. He sat within the nosebleeds together with his girlfriend at his first NFL sport between the Chargers and Raiders. He performed his final highschool soccer sport for Chula Vista Eastlake Excessive in Qualcomm Stadium.
Chargers working again Omarion Hampton runs by way of a drill throughout coaching camp in San Diego on Tuesday.
(Gregory Bull / Related Press)
However the stadium grew outdated, prompting the Chargers to relocate. Now when Jefferson drives south on Interstate 15, he nonetheless hates seeking to his proper as a result of he misses the acquainted venue.
“This type of stuff just happens,” Jefferson mentioned. “It happened to the Raiders. They’re our rival and they’re pretty big in what they represent organization-wise and they moved, too. It’s just the business.”
The Padres are the one remaining main professional sports activities workforce in San Diego and town pleasure runs deep. When the Chargers celebrated the Dodgers’ World Collection title final yr, die-hard Padres fan Jefferson recoiled on the sight of a floor-to-ceiling congratulatory message within the Chargers follow facility.
However with no professional soccer within the metropolis, Jefferson, who nonetheless lives in San Diego, tries to remind followers that this workforce remains to be the Chargers.
“Us just being two hours away, SoFi is a perfect venue for fans, I don’t see why we shouldn’t have the San Diego fans,” Jefferson mentioned. “I think coming here is just opening up the arms again and letting them know.”
And so on.
Rashawn Slater missed a 3rd consecutive day of follow and is “working through something,” Harbaugh mentioned. The coach characterised the undisclosed harm as minor, tip-toeing round solutions that Slater is making an attempt to attend out negotiations for a contract extension. … The Chargers signed working again Nyheim Hines to bolster a place that’s nonetheless ready for Najee Harris’ return. Harris stays on the non-football harm record after struggling a watch harm from a fireworks accident, however has been attending workforce conferences. Whereas signing Hines, the Chargers waived offensive lineman Savion Washington with a failed bodily designation. Washington was on the bodily unable to carry out record.
