Easton Stick's tenure with the LA Chargers lasted much longer than expected. The 2019 fifth-round pick lasted six seasons with the Chargers despite being a third-string quarterback for most of his tenure. Now with the Atlanta Falcons, Stick is proving why the Chargers wanted to keep him around in the locker room so long.
Stick never had the makings of being a true backup quarterback and he would remind fans of that every time he played in the preseason. It was locked in stone in 2023 when Stick got an extended chance to start after Justin Herbert suffered a season-ending finger injury. As bad as it was, Stick still got re-signed by the new Chargers regime.
The Chargers kept Stick around because of the relationships he formed, especially in the quarterback room. However, the NFL is a business and relationships will only take you so far. The Chargers let Stick walk this offseason to go be the third-string quarterback in Atlanta and he is still leaning on the relationships he formed in LA to make a difference.
Former Chargers wideout DJ Chark Jr. signed a one-year deal with the Falcons once training camp got underway. The Chark signing came out of nowhere, and was partially facilitated by Stick himself.
#Falcons DJ Chark says he was close to calling it a career but got a nudge from his friend —and now teammate Easton Stick.
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) July 27, 2025
Anticipates Atlanta being a contender in the division and beyond pic.twitter.com/Qyq9rwKWWi
Former Chargers QB Easton Stick saves DJ Chark's career
Stick worked out with Chark in Dallas during the offseason and told the Falcons front office that he was in shape when the team was searching for a depth receiver. This was enough for the Falcons to take a stab at Chark after Darnell Mooney went down with injury.
This is a real testament to the kind of person and teammate Stick was during his tenure with the Chargers. It's not like Stick and Chark were long-time teammates who created a bond over time. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Chark signed with the Chargers ahead of the 2024 season and was nothing more than a training camp and preseason standout. Injuries delayed Chark's debut with the Chargers and by the time he got healthy, he simply became an afterthought on offense.
He wasn't an afterthought to Stick, who was the primary quarterback throwing to Chark during the preseason while Justin Herbert dealt with a nagging foot injury. This connection was enough to keep the two in touch and was enough to get Chark his next job.
This is why the Chargers held onto Stick longer than they arguably should have. By vouching for someone he hardly played with, Stick proved that he is the ultimate teammate.