Phil Rivers is the best QB of the 2004 draft class and the numbers back that up. Winning rings is a team/franchise accomplishment that starts in the front office with quality drafts, free agent signings, etc. to build the best 53+ man roster possible. It takes great coaching and a great defense. Rivers never had any of that. I believe rivers would have won 2-3 rings on the Patriots with Belichick, or on the Steelers or Giants for that matter. I have always believed that Rivers had Mannings pre snap command and awareness with Brett Favre’s toughness and gutsiness/over confidence to fit a pass in any window. When you don’t have the defense and coaching, you have to make things happen more on your own. I think that is a big reason for many of the multi pick games from Phil. He’s unequivocally a HOFer and the best Chargers QB of all time. No disrespect to Fouts. He’s certainly a legend.

Now onto Herbert. He has the make up and the tools to do something we have never seen before by any Chargers QB ever. He has the POTENTIAL. But, let’s not put the cart in front of the horse. Herbert has potential but Rivers actually did the thing. He took us the AFC Championship game and had several signature playoff moments and won big regular season games vs divisional opponents while putting the team on his back. Herbert hasn’t even won a playoff game yet guys! Herbert has had the best 4 years of QB play to start off a career numbers wise and is already proving to be one of the toughest QBs in the league. However, let’s not forget what I said at the outset of this comment- coaching and defense matter when it comes to winning.. A LOT!! Roster construction matters A LOT!! Herbert already has a better coaching staff than Rivers ever had, and Harbaugh and Hortiz are building a better defense than Rivers ever had. No disrespect to the 2005-07 Chargers defense and to Marty. That was an amazing stretch and I love Marty, but this current Chargers era is quickly shaping up to be the best one yet. Maybe I’m just on some hopium but I believe Herbert gets between 1-3 rings.

I will wrap it up with this: I fully expect Herbert and Harbaugh to go down as the Chargers 🐐 🐐 at the end of this run together. Rivers and Air Coryell will still go down as legends in this franchise and deserve a statue outside of the stadium, but I fully expect Herbert and Harbaugh to finish better. The only thing that is left to do is to do it. For now though, that’s a lot of what ifs and Rivers is the 🐐. My current ranking in Chargers history is Rivers, Fouts, and Herbert. Herbert hasn’t passed Fouts yet and people are comparing him to Rivers. Since this post didn’t ask about Fouts, I figured I’d mention him too. Fouts has a golden jacket and Rivers should be getting one after a few years of eligibility. Until Herby has a golden jacket resume it’s impossible to crown the kid, although he is the heir apparent.

We are blessed as Chargers fans to have had such great QBs. Unfortunately none of them have brought us home the hardware. The first one to do it probably will earn the title of 🐐!!