That plus the scheme. Fowler noted that he’d been watching defensive coordinator Wade Phillips put players in position to succeed for years, and he was glad to be a part of that in Los Angeles.

And then there’s his teammates, who Fowler said welcomed him with open arms when he arrived in L.A. ahead of the Week 9 matchup against the Saints.

All of those things combined to make Fowler want to stay in Los Angeles.

“Well I knew for the first few weeks — really, that first month when I was here — that this was a perfect fit for me, and a perfect team for me,” Fowler said. “You know with coach Wade Phillips and his scheme — I was watching his scheme growing up as a kid. And actually when I got drafted, I was a hybrid linebacker-pass rusher. I wasn’t used like that in Jacksonville for my first four years.”

“And I always knew what I had and all that stuff. I knew what was my best abilities and things like that. And when I got here, it just felt like everything I was asking for — it was like my wishes were being granted. So this is a great place with beautiful people, beautiful workers, and a great coaching staff that I was begging for and I couldn’t ask much more from.”

“So I’m gonna be honest with you,” Fowler continued, “I’m just gonna go out there and bust my tail, try to be the best player I can be on and off the field so I can try to figure out a way to stay here in L.A.”

It’s an admirable goal for a player who has certainly dealt with his share of challenges as he nears his 25th birthday on Aug. 3. But he appreciates being in a place where he feels like he’s a part of a winning culture — somewhere he can really compete for championships.