Philip Rivers has been the San Diego Chargers' starting quarterback for more than a decade.
Rivers is still playing at a high level, but the Pro Bowler has hinted at retirement with speculation that the Chargers could move to Los Angeles in 2016.
San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Kevin Acee believes he sees the writing on the wall for the Chargers and Rivers, and he thinks it's time for the team to deal its franchise quarterback and take Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in the draft.
"Tom Telesco and Mike McCoy keep saying they want Philip Rivers to retire as a San Diego Charger," Acee wrote Tuesday. "That may well happen, even if Rivers follows through on his stated intention to play out the final year of his current contract and even if he doesn't sign another contract with the team after this season.
"The ominous reality for the Chargers is that there is no telling what happens with their franchise quarterback.
"Despite some inside Chargers Park pressing the narrative that the Los Angeles factor is overblown, the team knows it is not.
"There are numerous people in the organization dreading a move to L.A. as much as Rivers is. Everyone knows it is possible -- some even believe likely -- the team will move in 2016 or 2017.
"The only real control the Chargers have with their quarterback is now, this offseason.
"So -- and this is difficult to think, let alone write -- they need to trade Rivers.
"If Monday night's dinner and Tuesday's workout in Eugene, Ore., are everything the Chargers expect, and they see in former Oregon star Marcus Mariota a possible franchise quarterback, they should do what they can to trade up and draft him.
"The Chargers should get the No. 2 pick from the Tennessee Titans, select Mariota, then take a running back with the No. 17 pick. Start over in a big way.
"Rivers, 33, has four or five seasons left in him. He'll play as long as he's making plays. But he also has seven children and plans for a life beyond football.
"The Chargers know this: If they're in Los Angeles, there is a good chance Rivers will be in Nashville.
"Whether that means playing for the Titans or coaching high school football (while living near his in-laws and 90 minutes from his childhood home) depends on what other moves the Chargers make between now and then."
Horns-Aggies again?
The football coaches at Texas and Texas A&M want to revive the school's football rivalry.
Texas' Charlie Strong (Batesville, Central Arkansas) and Texas A&M's Kevin Sumlin told ESPN.com this week they want to resume the series after a three-year hiatus. Texas A&M moved from the Big 12 to the SEC in 2012.
"That game is so much a part of this state," Strong said. "Over 100 years, we've played that game. Why stop it now because we're in different conferences? At some point, when it's right for everybody with the different schedules, I would love to play Texas A&M again."
Sumlin, who will enter his fourth season at Texas A&M, wants to play Texas again. Playing a more competitive nonconference schedule is part of Sumlin's reasoning for playing the Longhorns.
"Now that we've solidified what the SEC's scheduling theory is going to be, you've seen us become more aggressive with our nonconference schedule, and that was the knock on us early on," Sumlin said. "People sometimes take scheduling for granted and say, 'Play this team.' They don't know the process. But I think the Texas series will happen. I just don't know when."
Texas won 27-25 in the last meeting between the schools in 2011 in College Station. The Longhorns lead the overall series 76-37-5 and have won nine of the past 12 games.
SPORTS QUIZ
Who was the quarterback for the San Diego Chargers in their only Super Bowl appearance?
ANSWER
Stan Humphries, who led the Chargers to Super Bowl XXIX in January 1995.
Sports on 04/15/2015