“No one is too small to have a voice”

Rashawn Slater certainly didn’t become an offensive lineman for public speaking. The idea of ​​addressing a large group makes the 6-foot-4, 315-pound Chargers left tackle cringe. But he knows resistance is futile as Jim Harbaugh searches for his next target.

Chargers The coach’s daily ritual of inviting a random player or coach to address the team after practice was initially met with confusion and stress. Now, the unified locker room views each day’s “words of wisdom” as a galvanizing force as the Chargers head toward the playoffs.

“No one is too small to have a voice,” Slater said. “It keeps us all on the same page.”

There is no predictable rotation for those who will hear their name called each day. There are no rules about what to say, except that something must be said.

Since Harbaugh began the routine at organized team activities, almost everyone – from the team’s stars to the soft-spoken rookies – has been called upon to stand in front of the team at least once and share a message.

By now, players have learned to keep their thoughts in mind in case they get a call. Some share their journey that led them to the NFL. Others pass on nuggets that they recently read or heard from friends.

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In one of many impromptu speeches, the quarterback Justin Herbert shared the four main lessons he learned from his father, who coached him in youth football: give your best, become better, treat others the way you would like to be treated and never give up .

Harbaugh, so moved by Herbert’s simple message, wrote it down to repeat later.

“I love hearing all the players talk, hearing their perspective,” Harbaugh said. “It’s inspiring.”

Safety Derwin James Jr. said he’s never been around a coach like Harbaugh, who hands the group over to random players. The coach is known for dropping his own unpredictable messages, including comparing the first day of training camp to the day he was born or quoting Scottish Marine Andrew Barton after the Chargers’ loss to the Kansas City Chiefs last week last.

But it’s Harbaugh’s ability to hold his players accountable that has helped the Chargers (8-5) go from last year’s 5-12 disappointment to a potential AFC wild-card berth with four regular season games to play.

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“The best teams are (when) the players hold each other accountable and hold themselves to a high standard. It’s not the coaches,” the quarterback said. Taylor Heinicke said. “I think we’re doing a good job here.”

Defensive players continued to communicate with their teammates weekly in meetings the day before games. Representatives from each position group lay out their goals for the upcoming game, both as an individual unit and as a defense.

Hearing the message from the players goes much further than if it came from the coaches, defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said.

“At the end of the day, I feel like you have to follow through on the words that you say,” outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “I feel like that’s been one of the key factors in that every time you say something, people hold you accountable for those words.”

Mack admitted he doesn’t always remember what he shares when Harbaugh calls him out for his words of wisdom. Sometimes his mind goes blank, but several teammates said the eight-time Pro Bowl player’s speeches were their favorites.

“He’s seen it all,” Heinicke said. “He was part of different teams. … He just wants to win a championship. So when he speaks, everyone listens.

Since signing with the Chargers after training camp in August, Heinicke hasn’t been asked to share any words of wisdom. The backup quarterback said he’s ready to deliver a message, but he’s relieved every time he avoids the spotlight. He joked that he wasn’t even sure everyone in the locker room knew who he was.

Still, the opportunity to hear from teammates who normally wouldn’t be able to share only reinforces the importance of Harbaugh’s ritual of wise words.

“I’ve always believed that if you know your players off the field, you’re best friends with them and you’ll play more on the field for them,” linebacker Junior Colson said. “Because he’s your brother, he’s your person.”

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Colson learned to handle the stress of a sudden call for wise words while playing for Harbaugh at Michigan. He asked the coach for a few days’ notice from college, but now he stores ideas in his mind to share inspirational messages his parents send him or anything he’s read recently.

The shock of an unexpected invitation to speak can freeze even the most seasoned veteran.

Herbert, whose close relationship with Harbaugh and his position as a star quarterback often lead him to be a frequent speaker, was surprised when the coach asked him to address the team in the locker room after a win against the Tennessee Titans.

Panicked, Herbert hesitated. All he put together was “great job everyone.”

Far from his wisest words, Herbert still received loud applause from his teammates.

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This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.