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The Chargers drafted Phillip Rivers in 2004, after two consecutive poor seasons by Drew Brees. In 2002 he had a 17 TD to 16 INT season, followed by a worse outing in 2003 with 11 TD and 15 INT. Drew Brees was being talked about as a flop by the fans and media after those two seasons as I am sure you can imagine. It was pretty ugly I lived there during those years.
Then in 2004 after the Chargers backed off of Manning only because he threatened to hold out, they elected to take Rivers. Brees responded with 27 TD to 7 INT, one of his greatest seasons.
2005 he was mostly up but the team struggled to a 9 win season which was a problem due to 12 wins the prior year. His QB average dropped from 104.8 in 2004 to a pedestrian 89.2 and the Chargers cut bait.
There were a lot more questions around Brees than just that torn labrum. That is why the Chargers let him walk as a free agent. So to say he's always been Drew Brees we think of now shows me you're the one that needs the education.