NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed that the city of San Diego is almost out of time to put together a viable plan to keep the Chargers in San Diego, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Tribune.
"It certainly appears that is the case, yes," said Goodell following the NFL's winter meetings, via the San Diego Tribune. The NFL will send letters to San Diego, St. Louis, and Oakland requesting those cites to put together their strongest proposal to keep their teams by Dec. 28, according to Acee.
The Chargers, Rams, and Raiders are all expected to apply for relocation this upcoming January, and a meeting to decide these franchises' fates is reportedly expected to come in Houston on Jan. 12, according to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport.
Each team that wants to relocate will need 24 approval votes out of the league's 32 owners. The Chargers and Rams reportedly do not have the current votes for their franchises to be approved for their L.A. stadium proposals, according to Acee.
"Right now, if we were voting today, I don't see anything getting 24 votes right now," said Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, via the San Diego Tribune. "But that certainly can change with more discussions."
The Raiders and Chargers are reportedly committed to each other with their Carson Project, despite the fact that Rams owner Stan Kroenke proposed a partnership with either franchise to join him in Inglewood. It looks as though Kroenke does not have the 24 required votes to relocate his team, and the effort to make a partnership could have increased his chances in earning enough votes for relocation.
The Chargers' time in San Diego looks all but over as Goodell stated that the city of San Diego would need to present "certainty" in their plan, according to Acee. "Certainty means no further votes required, that there is a deal that is fully approved, that there are not complications that are unforeseen, that this project can be completed. It's that simple," Goodell said.
The Chargers have had a long history in San Diego, and moved there from Los Angeles in 1961. The city has till Dec. 28 to come up with a strong proposal, but it certainly looks like the Chargers are getting ready to move this offseason.
