Philip Rivers is anything but boring.
In fact, number 17 is as fiery as they come, firmly entrenched as one of the most passionate players in NFL history.
That's why it was noteworthy to hear him stress the "boring" and "mundane" in his first comments to open training camp.
However, it makes perfect sense.
This mantra is rooted in watching last year's playoffs, which Rivers watched firmly believing if the Chargers had only have gotten into the tournament, they could have won it all.
"You always believe when you trot out there that you're going to win, but some years when the season is over and emotions leave, you can acknowledge that maybe we couldn't really have won it all that particular year had we gotten in," he said. "Last year was one of those where I really believed if we would have gotten in, we would have had a real chance to win it all. That's what made it sting even worse. As we go into this year, everybody is excited. We're all 0-0, but I do believe we have a chance to have a special team. We have to keep that boring one day at a time approach and keep getting better."
Everywhere you look it seems pundits are ready to anoint the Chargers as the 2018 AFC West champions.
That's great and all, especially since no one has higher expectations for the team more so than those inside the locker room, but that's all merely outside noise.
Browse through the top photos from opening day as the Bolts kick off Training Camp.
The truth of the matter is that the Bolts haven't accomplished anything yet. After all, the season is still a month away from even kicking off!
Thus, with so much hype surrounding the Chargers, Rivers is hellbent on keeping the Bolts focused on the routine aspects of the game.
"I think it's okay to be excited about it with those expectations and believe that, because that's why you play," he said. "(For) those goals down the road. But it's not getting bored with the 'one day at a time.' (You have to) get focused for this walkthrough this afternoon and then stack one day after another so that we can get there because it's not just going to happen. We know there are a lot of expectations on the outside. We have those same expectations on the inside. I think it's not worrying about what we hope and believe is going to happen this season. (We) have to make sure we keep our heads down one day at a time, and we can be really good."
Rivers is the Chargers' clear-cut leader, so it shouldn't shock anyone that this mantra was echoed by other members of the Bolts.
"(Embracing the mundane is) very important," said Keenan Allen. "That's what makes the team. That's what brings the camaraderie together. All the little stuff. The meetings. Stuff we don't want to do. Stuff we have to do. And then we come out here and we put it all together."
"We already expect the most when we come out here and practice like this," Melvin Gordon said in reference to everyday practices. "It never matters what anyone says, we know we've got a great team and our expectations are high. At every position, we're out here competing (and) out here finishing. We just want to be the team we know we can be. Yeah, expectations are high, but we make them higher than other people make them."
Chargers Training Camp has kicked off! **Click here** for information on attending one of the several open practices between July 28 and August 23. To celebrate football being back, we're giving away two 2018 season tickets! **Click here** to enter for your chance to win.
