Melvin Gordon Says Philip Rivers Is Staying with Chargers, Playing 3 More Years

Melvin Gordon is shutting down all the crap about the Chargers dumping Philip Rivers ... telling TMZ Sports the franchise QB will absolutely be back in L.A. next season.

We talked shop with Melvin out in Minny ... and the stud RB was pretty candid (and hilarious) on topics ranging from Rivers' retirement clock to Alex Smith's Chiefs exit to Kirk Cousins-Broncos rumors.

But the biggest takeaway was Flash telling us his boy, "Phil-y Cheese," (new nickname alert) ain't gonna get squeezed out by the Spanos clan.

Melvin also told us why his boy, Eagles RB Jay Ajayi, big-timed him on Super Bowl tix ... and spilled the beans on a major rap star Melvin Ingram is about to collab with!!