Los Angeles Chargers

That Rivers-Gates quarrel on the Chargers sideline? No big deal

Published Nov. 24, 2015 7:04 p.m. ET

foxsports

Chargers fans gasped when cameras caught Philip Rivers and Antonio Gates bickering last weekend.

But neither Chargers veteran puts much stock in the sideline spat. Instead, they chalked it up to sheer competitiveness.

"It was just a situation where it was the heat of the moment," Gates told ESPN's Eric D. Williams. "He wants to make a play. He wants to win. I want to win. We’re not winning. And the frustration, with countless hours of practice and studying that’s put into this, sometimes it boils over to the game.”

This argument looked different, though. Firstly, cameras caught it -- something Gates said has rarely happened during similar sideline altercations. And secondly, it's an easy clip to symbolize the team's unraveling.

But Rivers and Gates are truly friends. Their cool-down period lasted about as long as their argument did -- and then it was business as usual.

“What was said really doesn't matter," Rivers said. "Brothers fuss and fight, for any of you that have brothers. I love Antonio, and I think he will tell you the same thing.”

(h/t ESPN)