AFC Notes: Justin Herbert, Travis Kelce, Russell Wilson, Chargers, Chiefs, Raiders

Chargers

Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh expressed confidence in QB Justin Herbert‘s ability to win and called him one of the “great quarterbacks of all time.” 

“It’s like being around greatness every single day,” Harbaugh said, via ProFootballTalk. “I would follow him to hell and back. I’ve never been around a competitor quite like him. Some great ones, but, you know, no doubt in my mind that Justin Herbert is not only one of the great quarterbacks in the NFL today but truly one of the great quarterbacks of all time.”

Chiefs 

To start this year’s offseason, the future of Chiefs TE Travis Kelce has come into question. GM Brett Veach said they are operating as if Kelce will be back next season and mentioned his “intention” to finish the last year of his contract. 

“We’re just operating as if he’s here,” Veach said, via Nate Taylor and Cale Clinton of The Athletic. “He had a good conversation with (coach Andy Reid) at the end of the year and his intention is to finish out this contract. We’re just focused on our offseason plan. He’s here, and we’re excited and looking forward to having him back.”

In the days after their Super Bowl loss, Kelce said on his New Heights podcast that playing a full season is “driving me crazy this year” and he plans to take time deciding on his future. 

“That process can be grueling,” Kelce said. “It can weigh on you. It can make you better and it could drive you crazy at the same time. Right now, it’s one of those things where it was kind of driving me crazy this year, and I think that it happens as you tail off toward the back nine of your career, as (Scott Van Pelt) would say. As you see yourself or not feel that you have the success that you once used to have. Man, it’s a tough pill to swallow. And then, on top of that, to not be there in the biggest moments, knowing your team’s counting on you. Man. Those are all extremely hard things to — it’s just a tough reality. I think I’m going to take some time to figure it out, and I think I owe it to my teammates that if I do come back, that it’s going to be something that is a whole-hearted decision. I’m not half-assing it, and I’m fully here for them. I think I could play; it’s just whether or not I’m as motivated or it’s the best decision for me as a man, as a human, as a person, to take on all that responsibility.”

Chiefs HC Andy Reid’s advice to players after the season is to take advantage of their time off and relax.

“At this point, get out of town and relax,” Reid said. “That’s my motto for these guys. They’ve played a lot of games. You get to the end of the (season), you’ve exhausted yourself mentally and physically. (Take a) step back and take care of that (rest) and then we’ll talk. For right now, that’s what he’s doing.”

Raiders

Raiders HC Pete Carroll plans on having a “highly contested” quarterback position this offseason, pointing out how they had a similar process with the Seahawks which led them to identify Russell Wilson as a starter. 

“The quarterback position is going to be highly contested,” Carroll said, via ProFootballTalk. “If you look back at when we started in Seattle and how we built the competition to find the proper guy that would take over that job, that was a very intricate, elaborate process, and Russ won the competition because it was a wide-open competition that was very well designed and organized. It worked out fine. However this goes, our guys are all going to take a shot at it. The guys on the roster right now are fighting their tails off to see if they can own that position, and we’re going to give them every chance.”