Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers are about to rack up some serious points... that is, Marriott points.
During his Wednesday press conference, Harbaugh revealed his plan to promote team bonding in the season's early stages. To achieve this, he'll have the team stay back in Charlotte, North Carolina, after this Sunday's game versus the Carolina Panthers. Normally, teams fly out shortly after their game ends and are back to sleep in their own beds. Instead, he wants the guys to remain on the East Coast, avoid two coast-to-coast flights, and head up to Pittsburgh the following week for their game with the Steelers.
Harbaugh's decision to keep the team away from home is bold, but he hopes doing so will lead to something special.
"I think it's a great time to do it," Harbaugh told the media. "It's not the most ideal. I'm sure everyone would rather be sleeping in their own bed at their own house... it lets us focus on our football. We get to be all together for a whole week, almost training camp style. There's team bonding to be had in an environment where we're all together."
The Chargers will stay in Charlotte after playing the Panthers ahead of their week 3 game against the Steelers.
"There's no reason why we can't have some fun. Bring the board games and the snacks." pic.twitter.com/ZtkldjSBjD
— Kris Rhim (@krisrhim1) September 11, 2024
He added that the players are in support of the idea.
"There's no reason why we can't have some fun," Harbaugh went on. "Let's bring the board games and the snacks. It's a team that enjoys each other's company, I've noticed, so I think there's multiple positives to that."
Always one to be candid, the former NFL quarterback said Monopoly and chess are his games of chess with the latter being his favorite.
The team's franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert, voiced his support in his press conference following the coach's talk with the media, calling the idea "awesome" as it recreates the training camp environment.
"It's going out there and just focusing on football," Herbert said in regards to the week-long business trip. "And it helps us, obviously... he said we're going to bring some board games, bring some football, watch our laptops, and keep moving. It'll be fun."
It sounds like Herbert may not be eyeing up any chess matches with his coach, though. The Oregon product said he's all into Settlers of Catan. Maybe the Chargers' social media team will livestream Harbaugh and Herbert going at it in the iconic strategy game.
The Chargers will stay back east for the week, since they play the Panthers & Steelers back-to-back. Here is Justin Herbert talking about it: pic.twitter.com/hPsULvtlY4
— Ryan DePaul (@RyanDePaul) September 11, 2024
All jokes aside, if everyone is bought into this idea, it's a smart play by Harbaugh. The Chargers are off to a 1-0 start and have an opportunity here to go 3-0 to jumpstart their season. Focusing on nothing but football with a side of Monopoly may not be the worst idea ever.
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