New Kansas City Chiefs WR Chris Chambers talked with Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune yesterday regarding his release from the San Diego Chargers on Monday.
Per Chambers, the Chargers gave up on him.
"I thought the team gave up on me a little quick – for factors that don't have to deal with football," he said.
I've seen some reports out there involving Chambers and his now divorced wife. You can Google that information on your own, if you want.
"I guess it created a distraction upstairs," he said of some off-the-field things. "I kept my head on straight. We all go through things. I did my best to not have my personal life and football clash. They know a little too much of my life, and they used it against me."
Team sources told Acee that they were worried about Chambers' relationship with a woman. They believed it negatively impacted his performance.
(Maybe too soon but....that woman's not coming to Kansas City, right?)
This doesn't seem like a player the Chiefs would be interested in. Generally, the off-the-field players have been avoided in free agency and promptly addressed with issues arise within the team (except for, uh, Larry Johnson. Interesting note: LJ and Chambers have the same base salary this season).
That tells me that the Chiefs are more-confident-than-usual in his abilities to fit in on the roster. We'll see.
I know Chambers is getting paid nicely, but I can't imagine he's happy about coming to a team like the Chiefs at this point. At age 31, he probably wanted to be with a team that was competing for the playoffs....like the Chargers.
He's under contract, so if the Chiefs keep him for another three weeks, then he'll meet his former team on November 29th.
The Chargers head coach cited the emergence of Malcolm Floyd as the reason for Chambers release, not off-the-field issues.