REPORT: Star Player of Raiders' AFC West Rival Says Team Was at 'Rock Bottom' Last Season

The Las Vegas Raiders thrashed their rival, the Los Angeles Chargers, last season. For linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, it was just another game that put the Chargers at "rock bottom."

Dec 3, 2023; Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) reacts after stoping the first down against the New England Patriots in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Last season, the Las Vegas Raiders gave one of the biggest beatdowns in recent memory with their franchise-record thrashing of the Los Angeles Chargers, 63-21. The game helped facilitate notable changes for both teams.

The game, along with the Raiders' Christmas Day victory against the eventual Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, likely helped secure then-interim head coach Antonio Pierce a full-time job at the helm. It also was the final nail in the coffin for then-Chargers head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco, who were both fired after the game.

Now, Telesco is the Raiders' general manager. And Jim Harbaugh is the Chargers' new head coach. Harbaugh joined the Chargers after winning a national championship with Michigan. He left the Wolverines amidst scandals involving sign-stealing and recruiting violations.

Harbaugh is implementing his vision and establishing a new culture with the Chargers in a similar vein to what Pierce is doing for the Silver and Black. Some think that the Harbaugh hire will mark an instant turnaround and playoff contention. Recently, Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu seemed to pump the brakes on the hire with Eric Smith of Chargers.com.

"I was excited. But I wasn't too excited because we still have to do what we need to do to win," Tuipulotu said. "I'm not saying this in a bad way, but because we have a new coach, the players still have to do their part, too, to win games. That's where I'm at."

After all, this was a team that finished in the bottom 10 of points for and against and had a 5-12 record. The losing seemed to be demoralizing to Tuipulotu.

"It was pretty tough," Tuipolotu said. "It kind of gave me flashbacks of my sophomore year at USC. We had a bad record like that and yeah, it's not a good thing, it's not a good feeling. You question a lot of stuff when you're losing even though you shouldn't. But sometimes it just happens just because you're losing so much. But I think we just keep building. I mean, we hit the rock bottom, so the only way is up now."

The Raiders will play the Chargers in Los Angeles Week 1.

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