ELI5: If we can get food to pass through our throats by swallowing, why do we need to push food down in order to not choke?

i’m not even sure if this question makes sense but i hope it does. Essentially, why can’t food and drinks just go down. I remember having a conversation with someone when i was a kid about this, because the fastest water bottle drinker just crushed the bottle and slugged the water down their throat. so do they also swallow? why do we need to swallow? what else is the esophagus for if not just a chamber for food? am i too old to be asking these questions?