Austin Ekeler Felt Extremely Disrespected By Chargers After Failed Contract Talks: ‘punched in the face’

Austin Ekeler, the outstanding running back for the Los Angeles Chargers, had authorization last month to request a trade; yet, staying with the organisation would not be the experienced running back’s ideal situation.

Ekeler discussed the failed contract discussions with the Chargers, which eventually led to his decision to seek a trade, in an interview with SiriusXM Fantasy Sports Radio. He also said that he was seeking for commitment to a “long-term plan” in the interview.

Austin Ekeler Felt Extremely Disrespected By Chargers After Failed Contract Talks: ‘punched in the face’

“I kind of got punched in the face when the Chargers basically said we don’t want to talk about extensions anymore,” Ekeler said. “This is an organization I continue to rise and hit new heights in. That’s how it felt. It felt like, wow. This was the first time in my career with them I felt disrespected by my own organization. It sucks. I want to be a Charger. I want to be a Charger. I want to be there and it sucks because it’s like, let’s get something done.”

Ekeler is approaching the conclusion of a four-year, $24.5 million contract, and he feels that it has become clear that his time in Los Angeles will soon come to an end.

“For them to want to allow me to be a free agent next year, maybe we’ll get something done throughout the year, who knows how it’s going to play out, but that’s how I’m feeling right now,” Ekeler said. “We don’t have insight into how they’re thinking because they’re just like, ‘Nah, we don’t want to talk anymore.'”

When extension negotiations fell through in March, right before the start of the new league year, the Chargers gave Ekeler the go-ahead to look for a trading partner. He stated that this is where his current concentration is, and he would want to be with a team that is interested in him beyond the 2023 season.

“When it comes down to what’s going on with the whole trade and all that stuff, really, look, we’re trying to find a long-term partner,” Ekeler said. “That’s what we want. We want someone who wants to sign us for a few years and sees us not just in the immediate future, but a couple years out.”

“Time will play out. Who knows? We’ll see what happens with the draft. But it’s a situation where, look, if a team wants me in the long term, it’s a year where they’re going to have to give up picks and then also have to renegotiate, so that’s kind of playing against us for sure. But we’ll see, like I said. Time will tell, and we’ll see what happens after the draft.”

One of the top dual-threat running backs in the NFL over the past several seasons has been Ekeler, who signed with the Chargers as an undrafted free agency in 2017. In addition to having 107 catches, which is the highest for a running back, and 722 receiving yards last season, he also ran for 915 yards and a league-high 13 touchdowns.

In the absence of the Chargers changing their attitude, Ekeler is hopeful he can bring similar production somewhere else.

“Look, I guess the worst-case scenario right now out of all of it, I’ll come back and I’ll have to play for the Chargers for a year and bet on myself and then be a free agent next year,” Ekeler said.

Ekeler led the league last season with 18 scrimmage touchdowns and has scored an NFL-high 38 touchdowns over the last two seasons.

 

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