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San Diego Chargers
Current season
San Diego Chargers logo
San Diego Chargers logo
Logo
Established 1960; 64 years ago (1960)
Play in Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego, California
Headquartered in Chargers Park
San Diego, California
League / conference affiliations
American Football League (1960–1969)
  • Western Division (1960–1969)

National Football League (1970–present)

Uniforms
File:AFCW-Uniform-SD.PNG
Team colorsNavy, White, Gold, Powder Blue,        
Fight songSan Diego Super Chargers
Personnel
Owner(s)Alex Spanos
George Pernicano, minority owner with 3% share
CEOA.G. Spanos
General managerTom Telesco[1]
PresidentDean Spanos
Head coachMike McCoy
Team history
  • Los Angeles Chargers (1960)
  • San Diego Chargers (1961–present)
Team nicknames
The Bolts, San Diego Super Chargers
Championships
League championships (1)
  • AFL Championships: (1)
    1963
Conference championships (1)
  • AFC: 1994
Division championships (15)
  • AFL West: 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965
  • AFC West: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1992, 1994, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Playoff appearances (18)
  • AFL: 1960, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965
  • NFL: 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013
Home fields

The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. They have been members of the West division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL) since 1970. The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League, and spent its first season in Los Angeles, California before moving to San Diego in 1961.[2] The Chargers play their home games at Qualcomm Stadium. The Chargers continue to be the only NFL team based in Southern California, with no teams in Los Angeles since 1994.

The Chargers won one AFL title in 1963 and reached the AFL playoffs five times and the AFL Championship four times before joining the NFL (1970) as part of the AFL–NFL merger.[2] In the 43 years since then, the Chargers have made thirteen trips to the playoffs and four appearances in the AFC Championship game.[2] At the end of the 1994 season, the Chargers faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX and fell 49–26.[2] The Chargers have seven players and one coach enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio: wide receiver Lance Alworth (1962–1970), defensive end Fred Dean (1975–1981), quarterback Dan Fouts (1973–1987), head coach/general manager Sid Gillman (1960–1969, 1971), wide receiver Charlie Joiner (1976–1986), offensive lineman Ron Mix (1960–1969), tight end Kellen Winslow (1979–1987), and linebacker Junior Seau (1990-2002).[3]

Franchise history

Main article: History of the San Diego Chargers

1959–1969: AFL beginnings

The San Diego Chargers were established with seven other American Football League teams in 1959. In 1960, the Chargers began AFL play in Los Angeles.[2] The Chargers' original owner was hotel heir Barron Hilton, son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton.[2]

According to the official site of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Barron Hilton agreed after his general manager, Frank Leahy, picked the Chargers name when he purchased an AFL franchise for Los Angeles: “I liked it because they were yelling ‘charge’ and sounding the bugle at Dodgers Stadium and at USC games.” The Chargers played in Los Angeles in 1960 and moved to San Diego in 1961. From 1961 to 1966 their home field was Balboa Stadium in Balboa Park. As of August 1967, they moved to the newly constructed Qualcomm Stadium (then named San Diego Stadium), where they still play their home games.

The Chargers only spent one season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego in 1961.[2] The early AFL years of the San Diego Chargers were highlighted by the outstanding play of wide receiver Lance Alworth with 543 receptions for 10,266 yards in his 11-AFL/NFL-season career. In addition he set the pro football record of consecutive games with a reception (96) during his career.[4]

Their only coach for the ten-year life of the AFL was Sid Gillman,[2] a Hall of Famer.[5] who was considered the foremost authority on the forward passing offense of his era.[5] With players such as Lance "Bambi" Alworth, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln and John Hadl,[6] the high-scoring Chargers won divisional crowns five of the league’s first six seasons and the AFL title in 1963 with a 51–10 victory over the Boston Patriots.[2] They also played defense, as indicated by their professional football record 49 pass interceptions in 1961,[7] and featured AFL Rookie of the Year defensive end Earl Faison.[8] The Chargers were the originators of the term "Fearsome Foursome" to describe their all-star defensive line,[9] anchored by Faison and Ernie Ladd (the latter also excelled in professional wrestling).[10] The phrase was later appropriated by the Los Angeles Rams.[11] Hilton sold the Chargers to a group headed by Eugene Klein and Sam Schulman in August 1966.[12] The following year the Chargers began "head to head" competition with the older NFL with a preseason loss to the Detroit Lions.[2] The Chargers defeated the defending Super Bowl III champion New York Jets 34–27 before a record San Diego Stadium crowd of 54,042 on September 29, 1969.[2] Alworth once again led the team in receptions with 64 and 1,003 yards with four touchdowns.[2] The team also saw Gillman step down due to health and offensive backfield coach Charlie Waller promoted to head coach after the completion of the regular season. Gillman did remain with the club as the general manager.[2]

1970–78: Post-merger

In 1970, the Chargers were placed into the AFC West division after the NFL merger with the AFL.[12][13] But by then, the Chargers fell on hard times; Gillman, who had returned as general manager, stepped down in 1971, and many of the Charger players from the 1960s had already either retired or had been traded.[14] The Chargers acquired veteran players like Deacon Jones[15] and Johnny Unitas,[16] however it was at the later stages of their careers and the team struggled, placing third or fourth in the AFC West each year from 1970 to 1978.

1978

Main article: 1978 San Diego Chargers season

1978 was marked by the "Holy Roller" game, or as Chargers fans call it, the "Immaculate Deception". It was a game-winning play executed by the Oakland Raiders against the Chargers on September 10, 1978, in San Diego at Jack Murphy Stadium.[17] With 10 seconds left in the game, the Raiders had possession of the ball at the Chargers' 14-yard line, down 20–14. Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler took the snap and found himself about to be sacked by Chargers linebacker Woodrow Lowe on the 24-yard line. Stabler fumbled the ball forward, and it rolled forward towards the San Diego goal line. Running back Pete Banaszak tried to recover the ball on the 12-yard line, but could not keep his footing, and the ball was pushed even closer to the end zone. Raiders tight end Dave Casper was the next player to reach the ball but he also could not get a hand on it. He batted and kicked the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it for the game-tying touchdown as time ran out. With the ensuing extra point by kicker Errol Mann, the Raiders won 21–20.[17] What many Charger fans believed should have been called an incomplete pass (and possibly intentional grounding) was seen as a fumble and the rest of the play involved batting of the ball forward towards the end zone where the Raiders ultimately recovered it for a touchdown.[17] As a result of this play, NFL rules were changed so that, in the last two minutes of a half or game, the only offensive player allowed to advance a fumble is the player who originally fumbled. If any other offensive player recovers the fumble and advances the ball, after the play the line of scrimmage is the spot of the original fumble.

1979–1988: Fouts and Air Coryell

1979

Main article: 1979 San Diego Chargers season
Kellen Winslow in 2008.

1979 marked a turning point for the Chargers franchise as The Sporting News named team general manager John Sanders NFL Executive of the Year after balloting of other NFL executives.[18] Fouts set an NFL record with his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game, in a game in which he threw for 303 yards against the Raiders.[14] Coached by Don Coryell (with an offense nicknamed "Air Coryell"), featuring Fouts throwing to tight end Kellen Winslow and wide receivers John Jefferson and Charlie Joiner, they clinched their first playoff berth in 14 years with a 35–0 victory against the New Orleans Saints. On December 17, the Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos 17–7 for their first AFC West division title since the AFL-NFL merger before a national Monday Night Football television audience and their home crowd.[14] Their time in the playoffs was short as they would lose to the Houston Oilers 17–14 in the divisional round. Ron Mix became the second AFL player and second Charger to be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, during halftime of the AFC-NFC Pro Bowl.[14]

1980

Main article: 1980 San Diego Chargers season

The 1980 team saw the team trade for running back Chuck Muncie, and Fouts set a club record with 444 yards passing in the Chargers' 44–7 victory over the New York Giants.[19] Kellen Winslow caught 10 passes for 171 yards and Chargers clinched their second straight AFC West title by defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers 26–17 and finished the regular season with an 11–5 record. Jefferson (1,340), Winslow (1,290), and Joiner (1,132) became the first trio on the same team to have 1,000 yards receiving in a season. The Chargers' defense led the NFL in sacks (60) spearheaded by the frontline of 1975 Chargers' draftees Fred Dean, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson and Louie Kelcher. The trio, along with Leroy Jones formed a defensive frontline that was locally nicknamed Bruise Brothers.[20][21] In the playoffs, they won the divisional round 20–14 over the Buffalo Bills. However, they fell one game shy of Super Bowl XV in a 34–27 loss to the eventual-champion Raiders.

1981

Main article: 1981 San Diego Chargers season

In 1981, the Chargers won their third straight AFC West title with a 10–6 season. After the division titles of the 1979 and 1980 seasons, contract disputes arose and owner Klein would refuse to renegotiate players' contracts. They traded wide receiver John Jefferson to the Green Bay Packers after he held out for an increase in salary but replaced him with Wes Chandler. Defensive end Dean also became involved in a hold out and was traded to the 49ers.[22] Dean contends he was making the same amount of money as his brother-in-law who was a truck driver.[23] Dean would win UPI NFC Defensive Player of the Year (while playing in only 11 games) that same year en route to a Super Bowl victory and help the 49ers to another Super Bowl title two years later. Dean's loss was particularly damaging to the Chargers' Super Bowl chances as the defense weakened afterwards, surrendering the most passing yards in the NFL in both 1981[24] and 1982.[25]

In the 1981 playoffs, the Chargers managed to outlast the Miami Dolphins in the divisional round, 41–38, in a game that became known as The Epic in Miami. The game was voted as the best game in NFL history by a panel of ESPN journalists. The temperature was 85 °F with high humidity (29.4 °C) at the Miami Orange Bowl,[26] but it did not stop either team's offense. The Chargers were led by quarterback Dan Fouts who made the Pro Bowl for the third year in a row,[27] setting an NFL single season record at that point and time of 4,802 yards and 33 touchdowns.[28] The Dolphins were led by head coach Don Shula and featured a defense that gave up the fifth-fewest points in the NFL in the regular season.[29]

This game set playoff records for the most points scored in a playoff game (79),[30] the most total yards by both teams (1,036),[30] and most passing yards by both teams (809).[30] Chargers placekicker Rolf Benirschke eventually kicked the winning 29-yard field goal after 13:52 of overtime to help San Diego beat Miami, 41–38. The image of an exhausted tight end Kellen Winslow, who finished the game with 13 receptions for 166 yards and a touchdown and one blocked field goal, being helped off the field by two of his Chargers teammates has been replayed countless times. Kellen Winslow was voted to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.[31]

However, the eventual-AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals, playing in their first AFC Championship Game, defeated the Chargers 27–7 in what became known as the Freezer Bowl. The temperature of nine degrees below zero with a wind-chill factor of minus 59 made this the coldest weather conditions for a title game in the history of the NFL.[32] Chargers owner Eugene Klein tried to get the NFL and Bengals to postpone the game but he was turned down.

"I can't say how much it affected us, because we did make it to the AFC championship game," said Johnson on the loss of fellow lineman Dean. "But I could say if we had more pass rush from the corner, it might've been different.[33] "

1982–88

During the strike shortened 1982 season, Fouts averaged what is still a record of 320 yards passing per game.[34] Highlights that season included back-to-back victories against the 1981 Super Bowl teams San Francisco (41–37) and Cincinnati (50–34) in which Fouts threw for over 400 yards in each game to lead the Chargers to shootout victories.[35] The December 20th, 1982 Cincinnati game was a rematch of the 1981 AFC Championship Game. The Chargers would generate a total offensive yardage record of 661 (501 yards passing, 175 yards rushing) that still stands as the most in team history in defeating Cincinnati.[36] Also during the year, Chandler, set the record of 129 yards receiving per game that is still an NFL record.[37] The Chargers made it back to the playoffs, but after beating the Steelers in the first round, they lost to the Dolphins 34–13 in a rematch of their playoff game from the previous season.[19] That loss began a slide for the Chargers, who from 1983 to 1991 failed to make the playoffs every season.

The Chargers hosting a pre-season game at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium in 1987.

In 1984, Klein cut salary in preparation of selling the team, sending defensive linemen Johnson and Kelcher to San Francisco, where they would join Dean and offensive tackle Billy Shields for another 49ers championship in Super Bowl XXIV.[22] Alex Spanos purchased a majority interest in San Diego from Klein on August 1. Alex G. Spanos still owns 97% of the team and George Pernicano owns the other 3%. Benirschke was named "Miller Man of the Year" and Joiner set an NFL record with his 650th pass reception in the fourth quarter of the game at Pittsburgh.[19] In 1985 guard Ed White set an NFL record by playing in 241 NFL games, most all-time among offensive linemen. Lionel "Little Train" James, a mere 5'6" and 171 pound running back, set NFL record of 2,535 all-purpose yards while also setting a record of 1,027 receiving yards by a running back.[38] Al Saunders was named the seventh head coach in Chargers history in 1986 following the resignation of Coryell.[19] In 1987 Joiner retired to become receivers coach of the Chargers. The Chargers finished with an 8—7 record, their first winning record since 1982, despite winding up with six straight losses. In 1988 Fouts retired after a 15-year career in which he set seven NFL records and 42 club records, and became the NFL's second most prolific passer of all-time with 43,040 yards. Fouts's jersey number (14) was retired at halftime of "Dan Fouts Day" game in San Diego.[19]

1989–1995: Super Bowl bound

In 1989, Dan Henning, a former Chargers quarterback, Washington Redskins assistant, and Atlanta Falcons head coach, was named the eighth head coach in Chargers history.[19] Marion Butts set a club record with 39 carries and a team rookie record with 176 yards in Chargers' 20–13 win in Kansas City.[19] After a three-year stint as Director of Football Operations, Steve Ortmayer was released after the season and replaced by Bobby Beathard.[19]

Henning's tenure with the Chargers lasted three seasons as Bobby Ross was hired as head coach in 1992 and the Chargers acquired quarterback Stan Humphries in a trade with the Washington Redskins.[39] The Chargers would lose their first four games of the season and come back to become the first 0–4 team to make the playoffs as they won 11 of the last 12 games and clinched the AFC West title. Ross was named NFL Coach of the Year for the Chargers' dramatic turnaround by Pro Football Weekly.[39][40] In the first round of the playoffs, the Chargers shut out the Chiefs 17–0, but the Dolphins shut out the Chargers in the divisional playoffs to eliminate the Chargers. In 1993, the Chargers finished 8–8 (fourth in their division).[39]

1994: AFC Champions

Main article: 1994 San Diego Chargers season

In the 1994 season, the Chargers made their first and, so far, only Super Bowl appearance, against the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. They got to the Super Bowl by winning their first six regular season games, the only NFL team to do so in 1994, and finished the season 11–5. Quarterback Stan Humphries and wide receiver Tony Martin combined on a 99-yard touchdown completion to tie an NFL record during a defeat of the Seattle Seahawks, 27–10. They would become the 1994 AFC West Division champions behind a defense led by linebacker Junior Seau, defensive tackles Reuben Davis and Shawn Lee, defensive end Leslie O'Neal and an offense keyed by running back Natrone Means, Humphries and Martin. The Chargers had upset victories over the Dolphins and Steelers in the AFC playoffs. Despite those two close triumphs (22–21 against the Dolphins in the Divisional Round, and 17–13 against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game), the Chargers lost Super Bowl XXIX to the San Francisco 49ers by a score of 49–26, who were led by quarterback Steve Young (Super Bowl MVP) and wide receiver Jerry Rice.

Despite the lopsided loss in the Super Bowl, Beathard, who traded for or drafted the bulk of the Chargers roster,[41] and who hired coach Ross, was named the NFL's smartest man by Sports Illustrated,[42] and became the only general manager to lead three different teams to the Super Bowl (Chargers, Dolphins, Redskins).[43]

1995

Main article: 1995 San Diego Chargers season

The Chargers follow-up year in 1995 did not bring the same success of the previous season, but the team still managed to get into the playoffs with a five-game winning streak to end the season at 9–7. However, in the first round, the Chargers were eliminated by the Indianapolis Colts in a 35–20 defeat.[44]

1996–2003

In 1996, running back Rodney Culver and his wife, Karen, were killed in the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in the Florida Everglades. Culver was the second player in team history to die while on the active roster after David Griggs was killed in a one-car accident in Davie, Florida, 11 months earlier.[39] In 1997, Ross and Beathard were at odds with one another, resulting in Ross and his staff being released.[39] The Chargers selected Kevin Gilbride to become their new head coach.[39] Gilbride, whose coaching background with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oilers featured a more open passing attack, would mark a major change in offensive style from the ball control ground game of Ross.[45] Beathard drafted quarterback Ryan Leaf after the Indianapolis Colts selected Peyton Manning with the first pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. The Chargers traded several players and draft choices to the Arizona Cardinals in order to move up to the second pick and select Leaf. Leaf turned out to be arguably the biggest bust in NFL history. His poor play and attitude caused his departure after the 2000 season. In 1998, the Chargers went 5–11. Said safety Rodney Harrison, "If I had to go through another year like that, I'd probably quit playing".[46]

The Chargers drafted running back LaDainian Tomlinson in 2001.

The Chargers struggled in pass protection, resulting in Humphries suffering several concussions and his retirement from the game.[47] Gilbride was replaced by interim head coach June Jones, who was on the Chargers' staff before the hire.[39] Jones left the team at the end of the season to coach at the University of Hawaii and the Chargers named former Oregon State University head coach Mike Riley as their new head coach.[39] Leaf wound up having a disappointing career with the Chargers after a great deal of controversy with both the Charger management as well as the press and his teammates.[22] His failure to be the player the team envisioned was seen as a black mark on the franchise and is generally considered one of the worst draft/trades in the history of pro football.[22] Quarterback Jim Harbaugh, who was acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional draft choice in 2000, became the Chargers starting quarterback. Beathard retired in April 2000 and was replaced in January 2001 by John Butler, former general manager of the Bills.[48] From 1996 to 2003, the Chargers had eight-straight seasons where they were .500 or worse.[49]

In 2001, Norv Turner, the former head coach of the Redskins, was named offensive coordinator by Riley.[48] Turner installed the offense that he coached with the Dallas Cowboys under Jimmy Johnson.[50] Turner learned the offense from Ernie Zampese, former offensive coordinator during the Coryell era, while the two were on the Los Angeles Rams coaching staff. The Chargers signed Heisman Trophy winner free agent quarterback Doug Flutie, formerly with the Bills, and traded the team's first overall selection in the 2001 NFL Draft to the Atlanta Falcons for the first-round selection (fifth overall) and third-round selection in the same draft. In addition the Chargers obtained wide receiver-kick returner Tim Dwight and the Falcons' second-round draft selection in the 2002 NFL Draft. The Chargers used those selections in the 2001 draft to select Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson and Purdue University quarterback Drew Brees.[48]

Hired as a replacement to Riley, Marty Schottenheimer's Chargers squad opened the 2002 season with four-straight victories, making him the only coach in team history to win his first four games.[48] Butler would succumb to cancer after a nine-month struggle in April 2003.[48] Replacing Butler was A. J. Smith, who was named Executive Vice President-General Manager, replacing his close friend. Smith and Butler had worked together with the Bills, playing key roles with Buffalo's Super Bowl teams.[51] In 2003, the Chargers traded Seau to the Dolphins for a draft pick in 2004 NFL Draft. Seau was selected to 2003 Pro Bowl, his 12th Pro Bowl selection of his career, and in his final season with the Chargers, he was chosen by teammates as the recipient of the Emil Karas Award as the team’s Most Inspirational Player.[52] Also in 2003, Tomlinson accumulated 195 total yards from scrimmage in a late-season game against the Packers to raise his season total to 2,011 and became the first player in team history and the eighth player in NFL history to record consecutive 2,000-yard seasons.[48] Tomlinson also became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and catch 100 passes in the same season.[48]

2010–2012: End of the Norv Turner/A.J. Smith era

2010

Main article: 2010 San Diego Chargers season

The 2010 season was the 1st season without LaDainian Tomlinson since 2000 (Tomlinson was let go by management due to an over-sized contract relative to production and other issues, he went on to lead the Jets in rushing with 914 yards & tied for 3rd in receptions with 52). The 2010 campaign started off slowly again, this time 2–5 (including losses to some of the worst teams in football at the time – the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oakland Raiders, the Seattle Seahawks and the St. Louis Rams). The losses were due to turnovers & mental mistakes by young players on special teams allowing blocked punts & kick/punt return touchdowns. The loss to Oakland ended their 13-game winning streak against the Raiders since their last loss on September 28, 2003.[53] The Chargers then went on another second half run with four straight wins but this time instead of keeping the streak going the entire second half they had a big let down losing at home to the Raiders again, this time 28–13 (ending their shared NFL record, with the Dolphins, of 18 straight wins in December).[54] Despite the loss, they still had a chance to win their 5th straight AFC West title, tying the Raiders, but they had another bad loss at the Bengals 34–20 ending their chances. The Chargers beat Denver to end the season with a 9–7 record & out of the playoffs for the first time since 2005. They finished the season as the 8th team in NFL history to rank #1 in overall offense (395.6 yards/game), and overall defense (271.6 yards/game), and became only the 2nd of those teams to not make the playoffs (1953 Eagles 7–4–1).[55] They were second to the Colts in passing yards per game (282.4), second to the Patriots in points scored per game (27.6), 1st in passing yards allowed per game (177.8), 4th in rushing yards allowed per game (93.8), and tied for 2nd in sacks (47). On the negative stat sheet, they gave up the most punt return yards per game (18.9) & had 29 turnovers.[56] Philip Rivers had another great season with a career-high 4,710 yards (#1 in the NFL), 294 yards passing per game (tied for 1st with Manning), 66% completion pct. (third to Brees & Manning), 30 TD's, only 13 INT's & a 101.8 passer rating (second to Brady). Mike Tolbert 11 rushing TD's & Antonio Gates 10 receiving TD's were among the league leaders in TD's scored. On defense, Shaun Phillips' 11 sacks were in the top 10.[57]

With the special teams failure of the 2010 season campaign, the Chargers hoped to rebound with a strong performance to start the season, and a way to overcome slow starts.

2011

Main article: 2011 San Diego Chargers season

The Chargers started off the 2011 season with a 4–1 campaign, with their only loss to the New England Patriots. From that point on, however, the Chargers began a six game skid with losses to the Jets, Chiefs, Packers, Raiders, Bears, and Broncos, with the first four by only a score and against Denver in overtime. Injuries to both the offensive and the defensive line have hit the Chargers hard. But finally on December 5, 2011, the Chargers got their first win in over a month against the Jacksonville Jaguars, beating their also-struggling team. The Chargers then began a three-game winning streak most notably beating the Ravens by more than any team has beat them this season. However, the Chargers were beaten, 38–10, by the Detroit Lions to drop their record to 7–8 and eliminate the possibility of being in the playoffs. After a 38–26 victory over the Raiders in week 17, the Chargers finished at 8–8 and in a numerical tie for first place in the AFC West along with Oakland and Denver. However, the Chargers were beaten out by Denver for the Division Title via tie-breaker.

2012

Main article: 2012 San Diego Chargers season

On October 21, 2012, a line judge saw what he thought was a suspicious substance on hand towels used by the players. If the NFL determined the Chargers were using banned adhesives during game time, they would have suffered consequences, such as a fine or loss of an important draft pick for next season.[58] However, on November 7, the league announced that the Chargers did not cheat, though the team was fined $20,000.[59] After missing the playoffs for the third straight season in 2012, the Chargers fired general manager Smith and head coach Turner.[60]

2013–present: A New Era

The Chargers made offseason changes including a new General Manager, Tom Telesco, and head coach, Mike McCoy, the former offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos.

2013

Main article: 2013 San Diego Chargers season

On January 9, 2013, the Chargers announced that Tom Telesco, former Vice President of Football Operations with the Indianapolis Colts, would take over as General Manager following the firing of A. J. Smith. On January 15, 2013, Broncos offensive coordinator, Mike McCoy, was hired as the new head coach and Ken Whisenhunt as offensive coordinator. The San Diego Chargers selected D. J. Fluker, Manti Te'o, and Keenan Allen in the first three rounds of the 2013 NFL Draft.[61]

The Chargers finished the 2013 season 9-7 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2009. They entered the playoffs as the sixth seed. On January 5, 2014, the Chargers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium (27-10) to advance to the AFC Divisional Playoff Round. The Chargers then lost to the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High the following Sunday, January 12, 2014 (24-17).

2014

Main article: 2014 San Diego Chargers season

On January 13, 2014, the Tennessee Titans hired Ken Whisenhunt, former Chargers' offensive coordinator, as their new head coach. On January 14, 2014, the Chargers announced Frank Reich would replace Whisenhunt as the offensive coordinator. Reich spent last season as the Chargers' quarterback coach. Chargers also made key moves to re-signing Donald Butler, Chad Rinehart, and Darrell Stuckey. They also cut free agent bust Derek Cox. In addition, they added running back Donald Brown via free agency.

The San Diego Chargers selected Jason Verrett, Jeremiah Attaochu, and Chris Watt in the first three rounds of the 2014 NFL Draft.

After starting the season strongly, including a five-win run in September and October, the Chargers were beset by a string of injuries to key players, and eventually finished the season at 9-7. In contrast to 2013, the record was not enough to make the playoffs.

Logo and uniforms

File:AFC-Throwback-Uniform-SD.PNG
San Diego Chargers uniform: 1992–2006. During most seasons, the Chargers' road uniforms included white socks with navy blue stripes.
File:ChargersAFLLogo.PNG
Chargers' AFL logo 1966–1969
File:San Diego Chargers logo.PNG
Chargers AFL logo

Except for color changes, the Chargers have basically used the logo of an arc-shaped lightning bolt since the team debuted in 1960. During its period in the AFL, the club also used a shield logo that featured a horsehead, a lightning bolt, and the word "Chargers".

From 1960 to 1973, the colors consisted of various shades of Electric blue ("powder" blue, but technically called Collegiate blue) or white jerseys, both with gold lightning bolts on the shoulders. The helmets were white and had both the arc-shaped lightning bolt logo, in gold or navy depending on the year, and the player's number. At first, the team wore white pants before switching to gold in 1966.[citation needed]

In 1974, the sky blue was changed to dark royal blue. The helmet was also changed to dark blue and the players' numbers were removed. Additionally, the face masks became yellow- thus making them one of the first teams in the NFL (with the Kansas City Chiefs) to use a facemask color other than the then-predominant grey. From 1978 through 1983, the Chargers wore their white jerseys at home, coinciding with the hiring of coach Don Coryell – when Joe Gibbs, a Coryell assistant in 1979–80, became head coach of the Washington Redskins in 1981, he did the same, and white at home became a Redskins staple through 2007  – but Coryell switched the Chargers to their blue jerseys at home starting in 1984. With the exception of the 1991 season and other sporadic home games since, San Diego wears its blue jerseys at home.[citation needed]

In 1985, the Chargers started using navy blue jerseys and returned to wearing white pants. The team's uniform design was next revamped in 1988. It featured an even darker shade of navy blue. The lightning bolts on the jerseys and helmets were white, with navy interior trim and gold outlining. In 1990, the team started to wear navy pants with their white jerseys. From 1988 to 1991, the team displayed stripes down the pants rather than lightning bolts. The Chargers went with all-white combinations in 1997 and 2001, only to have the blue pants make a comeback. On October 27, 2003, the Chargers wore their navy pants with their navy jersey for a Monday Night Football game versus the Miami Dolphins that was played at Sun Devil Stadium, then the home of the Arizona Cardinals, due to wildfires in southern California. This remains the only game in which the Chargers have worn the all-dark combination.[citation needed]

File:AFC-Throwback2-Uniform-SD.PNG
Throwback uniforms worn in 1994 (NFL 75th anniversary) and 2009 (AFL 50th anniversary); powder blue throwback was also used in 2000 for Chargers' 40th anniversary and as an alternate uniform from 2002 to 2006.

From the late 1980s to 2000, the Chargers wore white at home during some preseason games and dark for regular season games. In 2001, the Chargers started wearing their dark uniforms for preseason games and white uniforms in September home games due to the heat before switching back to dark in October.

In March 2007, the Chargers unveiled their first uniform redesign since 1988, on the team's official website. The team formally unveiled this new uniform set, which mixes old and new styles, in a private team-only event. Navy blue remains the primary color on the home jersey, but the familiar lightning bolt was reverted to gold, and now has navy outlining and Collegiate (powder) blue interior trim. The latter color is a nod to the 1960s uniforms. The redesigned lightning bolt was moved to the sides of the shoulders from the top, and includes a new numbering font and word mark in white, with gold outlining and powder blue interior trim. The pants also have a redesigned lightning bolt in gold, with powder blue trim on a navy stripe. Additionally, the team pays tribute to other uniform features from their history by wearing a metallic white helmet, with a navy face mask, the newly revamped bolt in gold with navy and powder blue trim, and white pants. The road white jerseys with navy pants, as well as the alternate powder blue jerseys with white pants, were also redesigned with the new scheme.

From 2002 to 2006, the Chargers used the early-1960s powder blue uniforms as alternate jerseys, which many football fans (both of the Chargers and of other teams) clamored for the team to bring back full-time.

Since 2007, the Chargers have worn the alternate powder blue jerseys twice per season, most recently in a December 1, 2013 game vs. the Cincinnati Bengals.[62] The alternate powder blue jerseys were also worn for a game against the Indianapolis Colts in the 2008 playoffs.

In 2009, in honor of their 50th anniversary as one of the eight original AFL teams, the Chargers wore their 1963 throwback uniforms for three games.

For the 2013 season, the Chargers made minor tweaks to their current uniforms. These include a two-tone nameplate (gold with Collegiate blue trim on home jersey, navy with gold trim on away jersey, and white with navy trim on alternate jersey), collars matching the color of the jersey, and the addition of a gold stripe on the socks.

The Chargers wear their white jerseys for home games early in the regular season due to higher summer temperatures.

Visual representation on television

Due to the Chargers odd history of wearing three different shades of blue and changing the color of the lightning bolt logo numerous times, the Chargers' visual representation by broadcast networks has varied greatly, and has often-times been inaccurate or simply misleading. All of the TV networks were accurate prior to the 2007 switch to white helmets with yellow lightning bolts. Great variance has occurred since then depending on the network.

CBS: The NFL on CBS did not begin using team colors or logos on its scoreboard graphic until 2009. From 2009-2012, CBS accurately represented the Chargers in navy on the scoreboard with the gold lightning bolt. However, in 2011 and 2012, player statistics graphics became colored by team and began to use powder blue with the yellow bolt for the Chargers. When CBS overhauled its graphics in 2013, the use of powder blue continued on the player info graphics and its use was extended to the scoreboard as well.

ESPN: ESPN's coverage began using color identifiers on its scoreboard in 2008, with the Chargers being represented in navy with the gold lightning bolt. In 2009 and 2010, ESPN instead changed the color of both the player info graphics and the scoreboard graphic based on if the Chargers were wearing powder blue or navy. In 2011, the network switched to powder-blue full time on both the scoreboard and player info graphics.

NBC: Even before the 2007 uniform changes, NBC has always varied it's scoreboard graphics and logo based on which uniform the Chargers were wearing. In 2006, the first year on NBC's coverage and the final year before the changes, NBC used powder blue and a gold bolt for the powder blue jersey, and navy blue with a white bolt for the navy jersey. With the Chargers now using a gold bolt on all of their uniforms, NBC has continued to switch powder blue with navy depending on the Chargers choice of jersey, but since 2007 always uses the gold bolt. On rare occasions, if the Chargers are on the road against another team wearing navy blue, NBC will identify the Chargers in white to distinguish the teams, something the network has done with other teams in similar situations.

FOX: The NFL on Fox has been the most inaccurate of the networks in identifying the Chargers. After the Chargers switched to the gold lightning bolt in 2007, Fox continued to exclusively use the white lightning bolt with navy graphics until the end of the 2009 season, more than three years after the switch. With a new graphics package in 2010, Fox finally adopted the gold bolt, but identified the team in scoreboards and player info graphics with royal blue, a color the team had not used since the mid-1980s. The royal blue continued to be used through the 2013 season. In 2014, with another graphics switch, Fox finally settled on navy blue with the gold bolt.

NFL Network: The NFL Network formerly produced its own games from 2006-2013, but only used team color identifiers in 2010 and 2011. During this time, the network switched the color based on the Chargers choice of either the navy or powder blue jersey, with the gold bolt.

Players of note

See also: Category:San Diego Chargers players

Current roster

Los Angeles Chargers roster
Quarterbacks (QB)

Running backs (RB)

Wide receivers (WR)

Tight ends (TE)

Offensive linemen (OL)

Defensive linemen (DL)

Linebackers (LB)

Defensive backs (DB)

Special teams

Practice squad

Reserve


As of November 16, 2024. Rookies in italics.

53 active, 9 reserve, 15 practice squad (+1 exempt)

Retired numbers

Main article: San Diego Chargers retired numbers

The Chargers currently have three retired numbers: #14 (Dan Fouts), #19 (Lance Alworth) and #55 (Junior Seau). As of 2010, the Chargers' policy was to have the Chargers Hall of Fame committee evaluate candidates for a player's number to retire after the player has retired from the league after five years, Seau was the only exception to this policy. The committee consists of Chargers Executive Vice President Alex Spanos, Chargers public relations director Bill Johnston, San Diego Hall of Champions founder Bob Breitbard, and the presidents of the San Diego Sports Commission and the Chargers Backers Fan Club. There are few recognized guidelines in sports regarding retiring numbers, and the NFL has no specific league policy. "You have to have enough numbers for players to wear," said NFL spokesman Greg Aiello.[63] The Chargers have rarely retired numbers.[64] The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote, "The [Chargers] tend to honor their heritage haphazardly."[65]

San Diego Chargers retired numbers
No. Player Position Tenure
14 Dan Fouts QB 1973–1987
19 Lance Alworth WR 1962–1970
55 Junior Seau LB 1990–2002

Pro Football Hall of Famers

San Diego Chargers Hall of Famers
No. Player Position Tenure Inducted
19 Lance Alworth WR 1962–1970 1978
74 Ron Mix OT 1960–69 1979
19 Johnny Unitas QB 1973 1979
75 Deacon Jones DE 1972–73 1980
— Sid Gillman Head coach 1960–71 1983
89 John Mackey TE 1972 1992
14 Dan Fouts QB 1973–1987 1993
72 Larry Little OG 1967–1968 1993
80 Kellen Winslow TE 1979–87 1995
18 Charlie Joiner WR 1976–86 1996
71 Fred Dean DE 1975–81 2008
55 Junior Seau LB 1990-2002 2015

Chargers Hall of Fame

Main article: List of San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame inductees

The Chargers created their Hall of Fame in 1976.[66] The members of the Hall of Fame are honored at the Chargers Ring of Honor, founded in 2000 and viewable above the visiting team's sideline of Qualcomm Stadium on the press level.[67][68] Eligible candidates must have been retired for at least four seasons.[69] Selections are made by a five-member committee chaired by Dean Spanos, Chargers vice-chairman. As of 1992, other committee members included Bob Breitbard, founder of the San Diego Hall of Champions; Ron Fowler, president of the Greater San Diego Sports Association; Jane Rappoport, president of the Charger Backers; and Bill Johnston, the team's director of public relations.[69] The Chargers in 2012 allowed fans to vote for the newest member.[70]

50th Anniversary Team

Main article: List of San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team
See also: List of San Diego Chargers 40th Anniversary Team

The Chargers announced their 50th Anniversary Team in 2009 to honor the top players and coaches in the team's history. The Chargers were founded in 1959.[71] The team included 53 players and coaches selected from 103 nominees.[72][73][74] The Chargers originally stated that only 50 members would be selected.[74] Online voting by fans accounted for 50 percent of the voting results; votes from Chargers Hall of Famers and five members of the local media made up for the other 50 percent. Over 400,000 votes were cast online. Dan Fouts and LaDainian Tomlinson received the first and second most votes, respectively.[73][75] The team features seven Pro Football Hall of Fame members and 11 players that were active on the 2009 Chargers team.[76][77]

San Diego Hall of Champions

Alworth, Mix, Hadl, Joiner, Coryell, Gillman, Garrison, Fouts, White, Winslow, Faison, Benirschke, Lincoln, Washington, Humphries, Ladd and Wilkerson are also members of the San Diego Hall of Champions, which is open to athletes from the San Diego area as well as those who played for San Diego-based professional and collegiate teams.

Staff

Head coaches

Main article: List of San Diego Chargers head coaches

Current staff

Los Angeles Chargers staff
Front office
  • Chairman/owner/president – Dean Spanos
  • Vice chairman – Michael Spanos
  • Executive vice president/COO/CFO – Jeanne Bonk
  • CEO/president of business operations – A. G. Spanos
  • General manager – Joe Hortiz
  • Assistant general manager – Chad Alexander
  • President of football operations – John Spanos
  • Executive vice president of football administration/player finance – Ed McGuire
  • Director of player personnel strategy – Corey Krawiec
  • Director of pro scouting – Dennis Abraham
  • Senior director of pro personnel – Louis Clark
  • Senior director of college scouting – Kevin Kelly
  • Assistant director of pro scouting – Tyler Lyon
Head coaches
Offensive coaches


  
Defensive coaches
Special teams
Strength and conditioning
  • Executive director of player performance – Ben Herbert
  • Head of strength and conditioning – Jonathan Brooks
  • Head of strength and conditioning – Devin Woodhouse
  • Director of performance analytics – Ben Rabe
  • Performance analyst – Lincoln Dewolf

→ Coaching staff
→ Front office
→ More NFL staffs

Radio and television

The Chargers' flagship station is KIOZ 105.3FM, commonly known as "Rock 1053." Josh Lewin and Hank Bauer comprise the broadcast team. Past Chargers radio broadcasters have included Ralph Lawler, Stu Nahan, Tom Kelly, Lee "Hacksaw" Hamilton, Dan Rowe and Ted Leitner. Most preseason games are televised on KFMB-TV in San Diego and KCBS-TV in Los Angeles. The announcers were Ron Pitts and Billy Ray Smith. Games in which the NFC plays on the road are aired over KSWB in San Diego and KTTV in Los Angeles; if a Sunday night game is televised, KNSD in San Diego and KNBC in Los Angeles.

Since the Los Angeles market is within the Chargers' 75-mile radius (which prohibits national radio broadcasts of Charger games from being carried on a Los Angeles station during the regular season), the Chargers Radio Network has a secondary flagship station for Los Angeles: KLAC/570, in Los Angeles and Orange County. The previous Los Angeles flagship was KSPN/710 and before that, KMPC/1540 for several years.

Dennis Packer, the public address announcer of all USC football games at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, serves as the P.A. announcer of all Charger home games at Qualcomm Stadium. Packer replaced legendary P.A. announcer Bruce Binkowski, who went on to become the executive director of the Holiday and Poinsettia Bowl games.

Radio Affiliates

Chargers Radio Network

English

City Call Sign Frenquency
San Diego, California KIOZ 105.3 FM
San Diego, California KLSD 1360 AM
Temecula, California KATY-FM 101.3 FM
Riverside, California KCAL-FM 96.7 FM
Los Angeles, California KLAC 570 AM
Bakersfield, California KGEO 1230 AM
Reno, Nevada KHIT 1450 AM
29 Palms, California KNWH 1250 AM
Palm Springs, California KNWQ 1140 AM
Coachella, California KNWZ 970 AM
Coachella, California K232CX 94.3 FM
Lancaster, California KOSS 1380 AM
Ontario, California KSPA 1510 AM
Honolulu, Hawaii KUPA 1370 AM
Victorville, California KVFG 103.1 FM
Ridgecrest, California KWDJ 1360 AM
Las Vegas, Nevada KWWN 1100 AM
El Centro, California KXO-FM 107.5 FM

Spanish

City Call Sign Frenquency
Tijuana, Mexico XHFG-FM 107.3 FM
Los Angeles, California KWKW 1330 AM
Mexicali, Mexico XHSOL-FM 89.9 FM
Ensenada, Mexico XEHC-AM 1590 AM

Theme song

Main article: San Diego Super Chargers

The Chargers' fight song, "San Diego Super Chargers", was recorded in 1979 at the height of the team's success with Air Coryell, and has a distinctly disco sound. The team under then-new owner Alex Spanos replaced the song in 1989 with a non-disco cover version, but the original version was revived in 2002. The team plays this song at home games after Chargers scores and victories. From time to time during highlights of NFL PrimeTime, ESPN's Chris Berman and Tom Jackson would briefly sing the first line of the song's chorus.

References

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