Chargers wide receiver Chris Chambers is new to San Diego, having been acquired by the Bolts in a trade with the Miami Dolphins less than a week before wildfires swept through San Diego County.
But he already he feels he knows the pulse of the community.
First, he saw and heard how people banded together to help evacuees cope with being uprooted in the middle of the night from their homes and attempt to get back to normal while the Chargers practiced three days in Arizona.
Then, he felt the importance of the Chargers playing what became a 35-10 win over the Houston Texans Sunday at Qualcomm Stadium as a diversion for the public from the week’s devastating events.
“I could feel it meant a lot when I pulled into the stadium this morning,” said Chambers, who caught two passes for 35 yards, including a 14-yard touchdown. “I didn’t really know where I was going, but you could feel everybody in the parking lot tailgating was ready for a big win.”
Chambers said he was surprised at how quickly he has been accepted in San Diego.
“I thought I could get away with being able to walk around and hang out and do things for a while, but I’m not,” he said. “My mug is already plastered everywhere. It was interesting people noticed me so quickly.
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| Chargers wide receiver Chris Chambers. |
“I understand now the support and great fan base we have here. We didn’t have that same of base in Miami, mainly because we were losing. But we’ve got a good team here, we’re starting a winning tradition and we got great fan support. It feels really good.”
Update: Chambers’ receiving stats were incorrect in the original version of this post.
— TOM SHANAHAN