History of the San Diego Chargers
Encyclopedia
This article details the history of the San Diego Chargers
American Football Club.
teams: the Denver Broncos
, Dallas Texans
, Oakland Raiders
, New York Titans
, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills
, and Boston Patriots.
Frank Leahy
, former Notre Dame University football coach, was named the team's first general manager. Gerald Courtney of Hollywood won an all expenses-paid trip to Mexico City and Acapulco for submitting "Chargers" in name-the-team contest. In 1960, the Chargers began AFL play in Los Angeles
; hotel heir Barron Hilton
, the team's original owner and son of Hilton Hotels
founder Conrad Hilton
, unveiled the Chargers' uniforms which featured blue and gold with lightning bolts on the sides of the helmets and trousers, at a cocktail party at Hilton's Santa Monica residence. Players Jack Kemp and Ron Mix modeled the new uniforms. The Chargers would only spend one season in L.A. before moving to San Diego
in 1961. They played ten years in the AFL before merging the league into the older NFL. During that ten-year span, San Diego reached the playoffs five times and played for the AFL Championship four times. They won their only AFL title in 1963 when they beat the Boston Patriots 51-10 before 30,127 fans at Balboa Stadium in San Diego.
Their only coach for the ten year life of the AFL was Sid Gillman
, former coach of NFL Los Angeles Rams, who originally signed a three-year contract as head coach. Gillman 87-57-6 who was later voted to the Hall of Fame was widely recognized as a great offensive innovator . He also took on the duel role of coach and General manager after Frank Leahy resigned because of poor health. The Chargers, with star offensive players Lance Alworth
, Paul Lowe
, Keith Lincoln
and John Hadl
, struck fear into the hearts of defenders. The Chargers overcome 20-7 deficit in fourth quarter to defeat Dallas 21-20 before 17,724 persons in the L.A. Coliseum in the opening league game. A crowd of 9,928 in the L.A. Coliseum watches Chargers top Denver 41-33 to clinch AFL Western Division title. American Broadcasting Company held the television rights and televised key games.
and Ernie Ladd
(the latter also dabbled in professional wrestling
). The phrase was later appropriated by various NFL teams. Houston defeats Chargers 10-3 before 29,556 persons in Balboa Stadium to win second AFL championship.
.
accounts for 349 yards of total offense as Chargers win AFL championship, defeating Boston 51-10, before 30,127 persons in Balboa Stadium. AFL teams sign a five-year television contract with National Broadcasting Company
for a record $36 million; the contract will commence with the 1965 season. The Chargers and New York Jets tied 17-17 before a record AFL crowd of 50,222 fans, 46,828 paid in New York's Shea Stadium . A Balboa Stadium
attendance record of 34,865 is set as Buffalo defeats San Diego 27-24 on Thanksgiving Day. The Chargers defeat the Jets 38-3 before 25,753 persons in Balboa Stadium to clinch their fourth AFL West title in five years. Lance Alworth went out of the game with a knee injury and fullback Keith Lincoln gets sidelined in the first quarter with a fractured rib, the Chargers are beaten 20-7 in Buffalo for the AFL championship.
and Lance Alworth finish 1-2 in balloting by players for AFL player of the year. Buffalo defeats the Chargers 23-0 in front of 30,361 persons in Balboa Stadium for the AFL championship; a new automobile, the "Charger," is introduced by Chrysler officials at halftime.
30-18 before 39,553 in San Diego Stadium. Leslie (Speedy) Duncan sets an AFL record with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 37-15 loss to the New York Jets in San Diego Stadium. Team finishes third in the West with a 9-5 record. John Hadl leads the league in pass attempts (440), completions (208), yardage (3,473), touchdown passes (27) and passes intercepted (32)http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HadlJo00.htm.
before a record San Diego Stadium crowd of 54,042. The team features QB John Hadl
and Lance Alworth
who sets a professional record with a pass reception in his 96th consecutive game. Three more wins would be followed by four straight losses which ended any hopes of postseason play. The Chargers win their last four games to finish with an 8-6 record capped by a 45-6 victory over Buffalo in the season finale. Offensive backfield coach Charlie Waller is named head coach following the resignation of Sid Gillman nine games into the season from stomach ulcer and chest hernia. Gillman continues as general manager.
division after the NFL
merger with the AFL. The years after the merger were difficult. Charlie Waller took over as head coach, but after finishing 5-6-3, he stepped down and Sid Gillman returned to the job, but he quit halfway through the 1971 season, which ended with six wins and eight losses. In 1972, they got Duane Thomas
and Deacon Jones
, but they were no help to the struggling team, which had another disappointing season (4-9-1). In 1973, the Chargers acquired legendary Colts QB Johnny Unitas
, but he was well past his prime and was soon benched in favor of rookie Dan Fouts. However, it was too late to save the team from a 2-11-1 record. The 1974 season was Dan Fouts
's first as the starting QB and Don Woods
came to the team and for that season and ran over 1,000 yards, but one year later (1975) his career stalled and he too left the Chargers.
After several more mediocre seasons, things began to turn around for San Diego in 1978 when Don Coryell
replaced Tommy Prothro
as head coach after a 1–3 start. He ushered in his famed "Air Coryell" offense with Fouts throwing to a talented trio of receivers featuring Charlie Joiner
, John Jefferson
and tight end Kellen Winslow
as they rallied to finish to season 9–7, just missing the playoffs by a hair.
The 1979 season was a coming-out party for the Chargers franchise, under its first full year of "Air Coryell" led by Fouts under center. He set an NFL record with fourth consecutive 300-yard passing games, established in a game in which he threw for 303 yards against the Oakland Raiders
. Coached by Don Coryell
and also featuring Joiner, Jefferson and Winslow, San Diego clinched their first playoff berth in 14 years with a 35–0 victory against the New Orleans Saints
. On December 17, 1979, the Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos
17–7 for their first AFC West division title since the merger before a national Monday Night Football
television
audience and their home crowd. Unfortunately, their playoff time was short as the Houston Oilers
sent the Chargers packing with a 17–14 loss in the Divisional Round.
The 1980 Chargers managed to carry the last year's success with an 11–5 record (tops in the AFC West), boosted by the mid-season acquisition of running back Chuck Muncie
from the New Orleans Saints. 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 Oakland Raiders
.
The following season (1981), the Chargers managed to beat the Broncos for the AFC West title with their 10-6 season. Wes Chandler
, another mid-season acquisition from the Saints, replaced John Jefferson at wideout and produced 1,142 yards receiving and six touchdowns on 69 receptions joining fellow 1,000 yard mates Charlie Joiner (70 rec/1,188 yds/7 td) and Kellen Winslow (88 rec/1,075 yds/10 td). Muncie provided the running game with a lot of bite thanks to his 1,144 rushing yards and NFL-best 19 touchdowns along with rookie James Brooks as a solid contributor as both running back and return man.
In the Divisional Round, they managed to outlast the Miami Dolphins
41-38 in the game known in NFL lore as The Epic in Miami
. Chargers quarterback
Dan Fouts
and Dolphins quarterback
Don Strock
both threw for more than 400 yards, and Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow
caught 13 passes for 166 yards and blocked a crucial field goal
despite suffering from heat-induced fatigue
and cramps. The game began with San Diego building a 24–0 lead and then losing all of it by early in the third quarter. They faced the Cincinnati Bengals
in the AFC Championship Game, however the game was held in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium where very cold tempatures (-9°F, -59°F wind chill) was known as the Freezer Bowl
. The Bengals shredded San Diego's 27th-ranked defense, while containing the Chargers' league-leading offense, to a 27–7 Bengal victory and a ticket to Super Bowl XVI. It is considered the coldest game ever played in NFL history.
, but after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers
in the first round, they lost to the Miami Dolphins
in a rematch from their epic game. That loss began a slide for the Chargers, who from 1983 to 1991 failed to make the playoffs despite great individual performances by Lionel James
and Billy Ray Smith.
Bobby Ross
was then hired as head coach in 1992, but San Diego lost its first four games during the season and many thought the Chargers would miss the playoffs again. However, the Chargers came roaring back and became 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 AFC Coach Of The Year for the Chargers' dramatic turnaround. In the Wild Card Round, they managed to shut out the Kansas City Chiefs
17-0, but they got shut out in the Divisional Round to the Miami Dolphins
31-0. In 1993, the Chargers ended up 8-8 (fourth in their division) and ending an average year on the outside looking in.
appearance against the San Francisco 49ers
in Super Bowl XXIX
in Miami Gardens
. They got to the Super Bowl by winning the AFC West Division championship behind a strong defense led by linebacker
Junior Seau
and an offense keyed by running back
Natrone Means, and then gaining upset victories. Despite two close victories (22-21 against the Dolphins
in the Divisional Round and 17-13 against the Steelers
in the AFC Championship) in the playoffs, the underdog Chargers lost to the 49ers, led by quarterback
Steve Young (the game's MVP) and wide receiver
Jerry Rice
, 49-26.
The Chargers follow-up year in 1995 wasn't as good as the previous year, but they still managed to get into the playoffs with a five-game winning streak to end the season at 9-7. Unfortunately, they experienced an early exit, courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts
by the score of 35-20 in the AFC Wild Card game. Then, from 1996 to 2003, the Chargers would go on to have eight-straight seasons where they were .500 or worse.
s XXII
, XXXII
, and XXXVII
in San Diego, but failed to make the playoffs in any of these seasons. In fact, the Chargers had not made the post-season since 1995, the year after their Super Bowl XXIX
appearance, until on December 19, 2004, a year removed from their disastrous 4-12 season of 2003, they finally earned a trip back to the post-season by capturing the AFC West Division Title, winning their eighth straight game while shutting out the Cleveland Browns
21-0. An estimated 1200+ fans waited as long as six hours to greet the team at Chargers Park, their year-round training facility starting in 2005. The Chargers went on to finish the regular season 12-4.
They entered the first round (the Wild Card portion) of the playoffs as a lower seed, but proceeded to be eliminated by opponent New York Jets
, who won in overtime over the Chargers 20-17. Rookie placekicker
Nate Kaeding missed a 40-yard field goal that would have advanced San Diego into the next round, thus opening the door for a Jets victory.
Despite an abrupt ending to their turnaround season, Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer
was named NFL Coach Of The Year
for the 2004-2005 season, and quarterback Drew Brees
was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
.
, the Chargers tried to get some key rookies that would help carry the momentum from their mostly successful 2004-05 run. They used their first pick on LB Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman
from the University of Maryland. Then, they used their next pick on DT Luis Castillo
from Northwestern University. Their other choices were WR Vincent Jackson
from Northern Colorado, RB Darren Sproles
from Kansas State, OT Wesley Britt
from Alabama University, OT Wes Sims from Oklahoma University, and Center Scott Mruczkowski
from Bowling Green State.
The Chargers got off to a rough start in their 2005 campaign, losing a close one to the Dallas Cowboys
in their Week 1 home-opener (28-24) and then, they lost on the road to their AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos
(20-17). It wasn't until a Week 3 home game on Sunday Night that they got their first win of the season, when Eli Manning
and the New York Giants
got "shocked to the system" as LaDainian Tomlinson
had one of the greatest games of his career. He got 220 total yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, and he threw for a touchdown as he helped the Chargers win 45-23.
A week later, they were able to build off of their win by not only winning against the two-time defending champion New England Patriots
41-17, but they also ended the Pats' 21-game winning streak at home. In their Week 5 Monday Night home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
, the Chargers wore their throw-back uniforms during this season (they had also worn them during the 1994 season). During the game, both sides fought hard and fierce. However, in the end, the Steelers held on to win with a 40-yard field goal by Jeff Reed (24-22). The Chargers would rebound on the road against their division rival Oakland Raiders
(27-14). In their Week 7 road trip to Philadelphia, they hoped to build off their win against the Eagles. Late in the game, with the Chargers leading 17-13, the Chargers tried to go for a field goal to put their lead well out of reach, but it got blocked and Eagles DB Matt Ware
returned it 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown and the Chargers fourth loss of the season.
After going 3-4, the Chargers managed to turn things around as they began a five-game winning streak. They would win at home against division-rival Kansas City Chiefs
(28-20) and on the road against the New York Jets
(31-26). Coming off their Week 10 Bye, they went home and wore their throw-back uniforms again. This time, it was a dominating performance as the Chargers man-handled the Buffalo Bills
48-10. Then, they went on the road and won a close match against the Washington Redskins
(23-17/OT) and then they would sweep the Oakland Raiders at home by a score of 34-10.
The Chargers were 8-5, coming off a surprising 23-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins
. On December 18, the Chargers beat the undefeated Indianapolis Colts
26-17, snapping a 13-0 winning streak. However, despite a record of 9-6, they were officially eliminated from AFC playoff contention in 2005 after a 20-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
the following Saturday. The Chargers lost their final game of the season by a score of 23-7 to the AFC West champion Denver Broncos to finish with a record of 9-7.
San Diego began the 2009 season 2-3. After losing to the Broncos on Monday Night, they began an unbroken winning streak for the rest of the season, which included defeating the entire NFC East. In Week 11, they avenged their earlier loss against Denver by inflicting a 32-3 rout on them. The next game saw them beat a 1-11 Cleveland Browns squad 30-23, in which Ladainian Tomlinson
broke Hall of Famer Jim Brown's rushing record and was congratulated by him afterwards. The Chargers secured another division title, the #2 AFC seed, and looked to be a near shoo-in for the Super Bowl. However, the team's postseason futility continued. Hosting the New York Jets on January 17, 2010, they endured a stunning upset defeat, where despite an early lead were unable to overcome the strong New York defense. Kicker Nate Kaeding
also missed three critical field goal and PAT attempts, which resulted in the Chargers losing 17-14.
Due to his age, Ladainian Tomlinson was released in March 2010 and almost as quickly found a new home with the Jets. On the season opener, the Chargers lost in Kansas City 21-14 for the first time in four years. Their home opener in Week 2 was an easy rout of the Jaguars, but they failed to sell enough tickets and consequently suffered a blackout for the first time since 2004. They followed this with a trip to Seattle in which they lost 27-20. Returning home for Week 4, the Chargers inflicted a 41-10 rout on Arizona, but on the downside the game was blacked out again. The following week, they lost to the Raiders for the first time in seven years.
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
American Football Club.
The AFL era (1959-1969)
The San Diego Chargers were established in 1959 with seven other American Football LeagueAmerican Football League
The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...
teams: the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Dallas Texans
History of the Kansas City Chiefs
The following is a detailed history of the Kansas City Chiefs, a professional American football franchise that began play in 1960 as the Dallas Texans...
, Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New York Titans
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Houston Oilers, Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Boston Patriots.
Frank Leahy
Frank Leahy
Francis William Leahy was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive...
, former Notre Dame University football coach, was named the team's first general manager. Gerald Courtney of Hollywood won an all expenses-paid trip to Mexico City and Acapulco for submitting "Chargers" in name-the-team contest. In 1960, the Chargers began AFL play in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
; hotel heir Barron Hilton
Barron Hilton
William Barron Hilton I is an American business magnate, socialite, and hotel heir. He is the former co-chairman of the Hilton Hotels chain, and the original owner of the Los Angeles Chargers...
, the team's original owner and son of Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels
Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...
founder Conrad Hilton
Conrad Hilton
Conrad Nicholson Hilton was an American businessman and investor. He is well known for being the founder of the Hilton Hotels chain.-Early life:Hilton was born in San Antonio, New Mexico...
, unveiled the Chargers' uniforms which featured blue and gold with lightning bolts on the sides of the helmets and trousers, at a cocktail party at Hilton's Santa Monica residence. Players Jack Kemp and Ron Mix modeled the new uniforms. The Chargers would only spend one season in L.A. before moving to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
in 1961. They played ten years in the AFL before merging the league into the older NFL. During that ten-year span, San Diego reached the playoffs five times and played for the AFL Championship four times. They won their only AFL title in 1963 when they beat the Boston Patriots 51-10 before 30,127 fans at Balboa Stadium in San Diego.
Their only coach for the ten year life of the AFL was Sid Gillman
Sid Gillman
Sidney "Sid" Gillman was an American football player, coach, executive, and innovator. Gillman's insistence on stretching the football field by throwing deep downfield passes, instead of short passes to running backs or wide receivers at the sides of the line of scrimmage, was instrumental in...
, former coach of NFL Los Angeles Rams, who originally signed a three-year contract as head coach. Gillman 87-57-6 who was later voted to the Hall of Fame was widely recognized as a great offensive innovator . He also took on the duel role of coach and General manager after Frank Leahy resigned because of poor health. The Chargers, with star offensive players Lance Alworth
Lance Alworth
Lance Dwight Alworth is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
, Paul Lowe
Paul Lowe
Paul Edward Lowe is a retired American football running back who played for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League from 1960 to 1969.-College career:...
, Keith Lincoln
Keith Lincoln
Keith Payson Lincoln is a former American football running back who started his career playing college football at Washington State University. He maintained his versatility after being drafted by the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1961. In 1963 he led the team in rushing, punt...
and John Hadl
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...
, struck fear into the hearts of defenders. The Chargers overcome 20-7 deficit in fourth quarter to defeat Dallas 21-20 before 17,724 persons in the L.A. Coliseum in the opening league game. A crowd of 9,928 in the L.A. Coliseum watches Chargers top Denver 41-33 to clinch AFL Western Division title. American Broadcasting Company held the television rights and televised key games.
1961
On January 1, a crowd of 32,183 in Jeppesen Stadium and a national television audience sees host Houston defeat Chargers 24-16 for AFL championship game. For the 1961 season, Hilton moved the team 75 miles south to San Diego. The defense records 49 pass interceptions as the A.F.L. plays an exciting brand of football featuring strong passing attacks. The Chargers were the originators of the term "Fearsome Foursome" to describe their all-star defensive line, anchored by Earl FaisonEarl Faison
Earl Faison was an American college and Professional Football player who played in the American Football League between 1960 and 1966...
and Ernie Ladd
Ernie Ladd
Ernest "Ernie" Ladd , nicknamed "The Big Cat" was an American collegiate and professional football player and a professional wrestler.-Pro Football career:...
(the latter also dabbled in professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
). The phrase was later appropriated by various NFL teams. Houston defeats Chargers 10-3 before 29,556 persons in Balboa Stadium to win second AFL championship.
1962
The Chargers stumble to a 4-10 record, by losing eight of their last nine games due to a rash of injuries that derail their high flying team.1963
Eight Chargers score and Paul Lowe rushes for 183 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries as the Chargers clinch AFL West title with 58-20 victory over Denver; season ended week later than scheduled after AFL postponed games weekend following Nov. 22 assassination of President John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
1964
Keith LincolnKeith Lincoln
Keith Payson Lincoln is a former American football running back who started his career playing college football at Washington State University. He maintained his versatility after being drafted by the American Football League's San Diego Chargers in 1961. In 1963 he led the team in rushing, punt...
accounts for 349 yards of total offense as Chargers win AFL championship, defeating Boston 51-10, before 30,127 persons in Balboa Stadium. AFL teams sign a five-year television contract with National Broadcasting Company
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for a record $36 million; the contract will commence with the 1965 season. The Chargers and New York Jets tied 17-17 before a record AFL crowd of 50,222 fans, 46,828 paid in New York's Shea Stadium . A Balboa Stadium
Balboa Stadium
Balboa Stadium is a football and soccer stadium located in San Diego, California. The original stadium was built in 1914 as part of the many buildings erected for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition located in Balboa Park. Originally called City Stadium, and designed by the Quayle Brothers...
attendance record of 34,865 is set as Buffalo defeats San Diego 27-24 on Thanksgiving Day. The Chargers defeat the Jets 38-3 before 25,753 persons in Balboa Stadium to clinch their fourth AFL West title in five years. Lance Alworth went out of the game with a knee injury and fullback Keith Lincoln gets sidelined in the first quarter with a fractured rib, the Chargers are beaten 20-7 in Buffalo for the AFL championship.
1965
San Diego (9-2-3) wins fifth AFL West title in six years by defeating Houston on December 12 by the score of 37-26. Paul LowePaul Lowe
Paul Edward Lowe is a retired American football running back who played for the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League from 1960 to 1969.-College career:...
and Lance Alworth finish 1-2 in balloting by players for AFL player of the year. Buffalo defeats the Chargers 23-0 in front of 30,361 persons in Balboa Stadium for the AFL championship; a new automobile, the "Charger," is introduced by Chrysler officials at halftime.
1966
AFL and National Football League teams announce plans to merge in the 1970 season and Chargers and Los Angeles Rams announce they will play three preseason games in San Diego Stadium, beginning in 1967. Eugene V. Klein of Beverly Hills heads a group of 21 business executives who purchase the Chargers for $10 million, a record transaction in professional football. On the field, San Diego falls the third in the West with a 7-6-1 record1967
San Diego Stadium is dedicated before a crowd of 45,988; Detroit defeats the Chargers 38-17 in San Diego's first meeting with an NFL team. Leslie "Speedy" Duncan has 203 yards in returns, 35 on a fumble recovery for a touchdown, 68 on four kickoff returns, and 100 for a touchdown on the longest interception return in AFL history as the Chargers defeat Kansas City 45-31 in a game in which the teams combine for 897 yards total offense and 622 in returns. The Chargers are beaten by Oakland 41-21 before the first sellout crowd in the San Diego Stadium, 52,661 persons, and 2,018 persons also watched the game on closed-circuit television in the San Diego Sports Arena. John Hadl wins M.V.P.1968
The Chargers open the preseason at home and score their first victory over an NFL team, defeating the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
30-18 before 39,553 in San Diego Stadium. Leslie (Speedy) Duncan sets an AFL record with a 95-yard punt return for a touchdown in a 37-15 loss to the New York Jets in San Diego Stadium. Team finishes third in the West with a 9-5 record. John Hadl leads the league in pass attempts (440), completions (208), yardage (3,473), touchdown passes (27) and passes intercepted (32)http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HadlJo00.htm.
1969
After opening the season with two losses, the Chargers defeat the defending Super Bowl III champion New York Jets featuring QB Joe NamathJoe Namath
Joseph William "Joe" Namath , nicknamed "Broadway Joe" or "Joe Willie", is a former American football quarterback. He played college football for the University of Alabama under coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and his assistant, Howard Schnellenberger, from 1962–1964, and professional football in the...
before a record San Diego Stadium crowd of 54,042. The team features QB John Hadl
John Hadl
John Willard Hadl is a former collegiate and professional football player.Hadl was born in Lawrence, Kansas. After playing halfback on both offense and defense at the University of Kansas as a sophomore, Hadl played quarterback for his last two years at Kansas, and was selected as the school's...
and Lance Alworth
Lance Alworth
Lance Dwight Alworth is a former American collegiate and Professional Football wide receiver. He is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
who sets a professional record with a pass reception in his 96th consecutive game. Three more wins would be followed by four straight losses which ended any hopes of postseason play. The Chargers win their last four games to finish with an 8-6 record capped by a 45-6 victory over Buffalo in the season finale. Offensive backfield coach Charlie Waller is named head coach following the resignation of Sid Gillman nine games into the season from stomach ulcer and chest hernia. Gillman continues as general manager.
1970–1981
In 1970, the San Diego Chargers settled into the AFC WestAFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
division after the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
merger with the AFL. The years after the merger were difficult. Charlie Waller took over as head coach, but after finishing 5-6-3, he stepped down and Sid Gillman returned to the job, but he quit halfway through the 1971 season, which ended with six wins and eight losses. In 1972, they got Duane Thomas
Duane Thomas
Duane Julius Thomas is a former American football running back in the National Football League who played four seasons for the Dallas Cowboys, San Diego Chargers and Washington Redskins from 1970 to 1974....
and Deacon Jones
Deacon Jones
David D. "Deacon" Jones is a former American football defensive end in the National Football League for the Los Angeles Rams, San Diego Chargers, and the Washington Redskins. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1980.Jones specialized in quarterback sacks, a term attributed to him...
, but they were no help to the struggling team, which had another disappointing season (4-9-1). In 1973, the Chargers acquired legendary Colts QB Johnny Unitas
Johnny Unitas
John Constantine Unitas , known as Johnny Unitas or "Johnny U", and nicknamed "The Golden Arm", was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts. He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football...
, but he was well past his prime and was soon benched in favor of rookie Dan Fouts. However, it was too late to save the team from a 2-11-1 record. The 1974 season was Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
's first as the starting QB and Don Woods
Don Woods (American football)
Donald Ray Woods is a retired National Football League American football running back who played with the San Diego Chargers and San Francisco 49ers from 1974–1980. Woods was selected in the 6th Round of the 1974 NFL Draft out of University of New Mexico by the Green Bay Packers...
came to the team and for that season and ran over 1,000 yards, but one year later (1975) his career stalled and he too left the Chargers.
After several more mediocre seasons, things began to turn around for San Diego in 1978 when Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
replaced Tommy Prothro
Tommy Prothro
James Thompson "Tommy" Prothro, Jr. was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Oregon State University from 1955 to 1964 and at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1965 to 1970, compiling a career college football record of 104–55–5...
as head coach after a 1–3 start. He ushered in his famed "Air Coryell" offense with Fouts throwing to a talented trio of receivers featuring Charlie Joiner
Charlie Joiner
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is a former American football player who starred in professional football for eighteen seasons, virtually exclusively at the position of wide receiver. He retired with the most career receptions, receiving yards, and games played of any wide receiver in NFL history. He was...
, John Jefferson
John Jefferson
John Jefferson is a retired American football wide receiver in the National Football League . He was selected out of Arizona State University in the first round of the 1978 NFL Draft by the San Diego Chargers. He played three seasons in San Diego, where he became the first NFL player to gain...
and tight end Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
as they rallied to finish to season 9–7, just missing the playoffs by a hair.
The 1979 season was a coming-out party for the Chargers franchise, under its first full year of "Air Coryell" led by Fouts under center. He set an NFL record with fourth consecutive 300-yard passing games, established in a game in which he threw for 303 yards against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Coached by Don Coryell
Don Coryell
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach, who coached in the NFL first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973–1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978-1986. He was well known for his innovations to football's passing offense. Coryell's offense was commonly known as "Air Coryell"...
and also featuring Joiner, Jefferson and Winslow, San Diego clinched their first playoff berth in 14 years with a 35–0 victory against the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
. On December 17, 1979, the Chargers defeated the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
17–7 for their first AFC West division title since the merger before a national Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
audience and their home crowd. Unfortunately, their playoff time was short as the Houston Oilers
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
sent the Chargers packing with a 17–14 loss in the Divisional Round.
The 1980 Chargers managed to carry the last year's success with an 11–5 record (tops in the AFC West), boosted by the mid-season acquisition of running back Chuck Muncie
Chuck Muncie
Harry Vance "Chuck" Muncie is a former American football running back who played for the New Orleans Saints and San Diego Chargers in the National Football League from 1976 to 1984...
from the New Orleans Saints. In the playoffs, they won the Divisional Round 20–14 over the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. However, they fell one game shy of Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV
Super Bowl XV was an American football game played on January 25, 1981 at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana to decide the National Football League champion following the 1980 regular season...
in a 34–27 loss to the eventual-champion Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
.
The following season (1981), the Chargers managed to beat the Broncos for the AFC West title with their 10-6 season. Wes Chandler
Wes Chandler
Wesley Sandy "Wes" Chandler is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for eleven seasons in the 1970s and 1980s...
, another mid-season acquisition from the Saints, replaced John Jefferson at wideout and produced 1,142 yards receiving and six touchdowns on 69 receptions joining fellow 1,000 yard mates Charlie Joiner (70 rec/1,188 yds/7 td) and Kellen Winslow (88 rec/1,075 yds/10 td). Muncie provided the running game with a lot of bite thanks to his 1,144 rushing yards and NFL-best 19 touchdowns along with rookie James Brooks as a solid contributor as both running back and return man.
In the Divisional Round, they managed to outlast the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
41-38 in the game known in NFL lore as The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami
The Epic in Miami is the name given to a National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and the Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl...
. Chargers quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Dan Fouts
Dan Fouts
Daniel Francis Fouts is a retired Hall of Fame American football quarterback in the National Football League. Fouts played his entire professional career with the San Diego Chargers from 1973 through 1987...
and Dolphins quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Don Strock
Don Strock
Don Strock is a former professional football player who was the head coach of the Florida International University football team from 2002–2006.-College:Strock played college football at Virginia Tech, and graduated in 1973...
both threw for more than 400 yards, and Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow
Kellen Winslow
Kellen Boswell Winslow is a former American football tight end with the Missouri Tigers and the San Diego Chargers. He is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the history of the game. He is currently the athletic director at Central State University.Winslow did not play high...
caught 13 passes for 166 yards and blocked a crucial field goal
Field goal (football)
A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...
despite suffering from heat-induced fatigue
Fatigue (physical)
Fatigue is a state of awareness describing a range of afflictions, usually associated with physical and/or mental weakness, though varying from a general state of lethargy to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles...
and cramps. The game began with San Diego building a 24–0 lead and then losing all of it by early in the third quarter. They faced the Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
in the AFC Championship Game, however the game was held in Cincinnati's Riverfront Stadium where very cold tempatures (-9°F, -59°F wind chill) was known as the Freezer Bowl
Freezer Bowl
In NFL lore, the Freezer Bowl was the 1981 AFC Championship Game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cincinnati Bengals. The game was played in the coldest temperature in NFL history in terms of wind chill...
. The Bengals shredded San Diego's 27th-ranked defense, while containing the Chargers' league-leading offense, to a 27–7 Bengal victory and a ticket to Super Bowl XVI. It is considered the coldest game ever played in NFL history.
1982-1993
The Chargers made it back to the playoffs during the strike shortened 1982 season1982 NFL season
The 1982 NFL season was the 63rd regular season of the National Football League. A 57-day long players' strike reduced the 1982 season from a 16-game schedule per team to an abbreviated nine game schedule...
, but after beating the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the first round, they lost to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in a rematch from their epic game. That loss began a slide for the Chargers, who from 1983 to 1991 failed to make the playoffs despite great individual performances by Lionel James
Lionel James
Lionel 'Little Train' James , is a former professional American football player who was selected by the San Diego Chargers in the 5th round of the 1984 NFL Draft. Undersized at 5'6" and 171 lbs., James played running back at Auburn University where he shared the backfield with Bo Jackson...
and Billy Ray Smith.
Bobby Ross
Bobby Ross
Robert Joseph Ross is a former American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The Citadel , the University of Maryland, College Park , the Georgia Institute of Technology , and the United States Military Academy , compiling a career college football record of 103–101–2...
was then hired as head coach in 1992, but San Diego lost its first four games during the season and many thought the Chargers would miss the playoffs again. However, the Chargers came roaring back and became 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 AFC Coach Of The Year for the Chargers' dramatic turnaround. In the Wild Card Round, they managed to shut out the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
17-0, but they got shut out in the Divisional Round to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
31-0. In 1993, the Chargers ended up 8-8 (fourth in their division) and ending an average year on the outside looking in.
1994-2003
In the 1994-95 season, the Chargers made their first and, so far, only Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
appearance against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
in Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
in Miami Gardens
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
. They got to the Super Bowl by winning the AFC West Division championship behind a strong defense led by linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
Junior Seau
Junior Seau
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted fifth overall by the San Diego Chargers during the 1990 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Southern California and was the progenitor of the "NFL-USC linebacker".A ten-time All-Pro and...
and an offense keyed by running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Natrone Means, and then gaining upset victories. Despite two close victories (22-21 against the Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the Divisional Round and 17-13 against the Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
in the AFC Championship) in the playoffs, the underdog Chargers lost to the 49ers, led by quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
Steve Young (the game's MVP) and wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
, 49-26.
The Chargers follow-up year in 1995 wasn't as good as the previous year, but they still managed to get into the playoffs with a five-game winning streak to end the season at 9-7. Unfortunately, they experienced an early exit, courtesy of the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
by the score of 35-20 in the AFC Wild Card game. Then, from 1996 to 2003, the Chargers would go on to have eight-straight seasons where they were .500 or worse.
2004
They were the host team for Super BowlSuper Bowl
The Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
s XXII
Super Bowl XXII
Super Bowl XXII was an American football game played on January 31, 1988 at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1987 regular season...
, XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII
Super Bowl XXXII was an American football game played on January 25, 1998 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1997 regular season...
, and XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
in San Diego, but failed to make the playoffs in any of these seasons. In fact, the Chargers had not made the post-season since 1995, the year after their Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX
Super Bowl XXIX was an American football game played on January 29, 1995 at Joe Robbie Stadium in Miami, Florida to decide the National Football League champion following the 1994 regular season...
appearance, until on December 19, 2004, a year removed from their disastrous 4-12 season of 2003, they finally earned a trip back to the post-season by capturing the AFC West Division Title, winning their eighth straight game while shutting out the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
21-0. An estimated 1200+ fans waited as long as six hours to greet the team at Chargers Park, their year-round training facility starting in 2005. The Chargers went on to finish the regular season 12-4.
They entered the first round (the Wild Card portion) of the playoffs as a lower seed, but proceeded to be eliminated by opponent New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who won in overtime over the Chargers 20-17. Rookie placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
Nate Kaeding missed a 40-yard field goal that would have advanced San Diego into the next round, thus opening the door for a Jets victory.
Despite an abrupt ending to their turnaround season, Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer
Marty Schottenheimer
Martin Edward "Marty" Schottenheimer is the current head coach of the Virginia Destroyers of the United Football League. Over his career, he has served as head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. He has the most wins of any NFL coach...
was named NFL Coach Of The Year
NFL Coach of the Year Award
The National Football League Coach of the Year Award is presented annually by various news and sports organizations to the NFL head coach who has done the most outstanding job of working with the talent he has at his disposal. Currently, the most widely recognized award is presented by the...
for the 2004-2005 season, and quarterback Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year
NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award
The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972 by Pro Football Weekly. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor...
.
2005
During the 2005 NFL Draft2005 NFL Draft
The 2005 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 23–24, 2005. The league also held an supplemental draft that year, which was held after...
, the Chargers tried to get some key rookies that would help carry the momentum from their mostly successful 2004-05 run. They used their first pick on LB Shawne "Lights Out" Merriman
Shawne Merriman
Shawne DeAndre Merriman is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted 12th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft. On November 2, 2010, the Chargers waived Merriman...
from the University of Maryland. Then, they used their next pick on DT Luis Castillo
Luis Castillo (football player)
Luis Alberto Castillo , is a Dominican American football defensive end for the San Diego Chargers of the NFL...
from Northwestern University. Their other choices were WR Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
from Northern Colorado, RB Darren Sproles
Darren Sproles
Darren Lee Sproles is an American football running back of the NFL who plays for the New Orleans Saints. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
from Kansas State, OT Wesley Britt
Wesley Britt
Wesley Britt is a free agent American football offensive tackle formerly of the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
from Alabama University, OT Wes Sims from Oklahoma University, and Center Scott Mruczkowski
Scott Mruczkowski
Scott Allen Mruczkowski [merch-COW-ski] is an American football center for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Bowling Green.-External links:*...
from Bowling Green State.
The Chargers got off to a rough start in their 2005 campaign, losing a close one to the Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
in their Week 1 home-opener (28-24) and then, they lost on the road to their AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(20-17). It wasn't until a Week 3 home game on Sunday Night that they got their first win of the season, when Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
got "shocked to the system" as LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
had one of the greatest games of his career. He got 220 total yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, and he threw for a touchdown as he helped the Chargers win 45-23.
A week later, they were able to build off of their win by not only winning against the two-time defending champion New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
41-17, but they also ended the Pats' 21-game winning streak at home. In their Week 5 Monday Night home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
, the Chargers wore their throw-back uniforms during this season (they had also worn them during the 1994 season). During the game, both sides fought hard and fierce. However, in the end, the Steelers held on to win with a 40-yard field goal by Jeff Reed (24-22). The Chargers would rebound on the road against their division rival Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(27-14). In their Week 7 road trip to Philadelphia, they hoped to build off their win against the Eagles. Late in the game, with the Chargers leading 17-13, the Chargers tried to go for a field goal to put their lead well out of reach, but it got blocked and Eagles DB Matt Ware
Matt Ware
Matthew Jesse Ware is an American football safety who is currently a free agent. He was drafted in the third round with the 89th pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles...
returned it 65 yards for the game-winning touchdown and the Chargers fourth loss of the season.
After going 3-4, the Chargers managed to turn things around as they began a five-game winning streak. They would win at home against division-rival Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
(28-20) and on the road against the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
(31-26). Coming off their Week 10 Bye, they went home and wore their throw-back uniforms again. This time, it was a dominating performance as the Chargers man-handled the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
48-10. Then, they went on the road and won a close match against the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
(23-17/OT) and then they would sweep the Oakland Raiders at home by a score of 34-10.
The Chargers were 8-5, coming off a surprising 23-21 loss to the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. On December 18, the Chargers beat the undefeated Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
26-17, snapping a 13-0 winning streak. However, despite a record of 9-6, they were officially eliminated from AFC playoff contention in 2005 after a 20-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
the following Saturday. The Chargers lost their final game of the season by a score of 23-7 to the AFC West champion Denver Broncos to finish with a record of 9-7.
2006-present
The Chargers delivered an impressive performance in 2006, losing only to the Ravens and Chiefs and finishing 14-2, which secured them the #1 AFC seed in the playoffs. However, they lost 24-21 to New England in the divisional round. In 2007 they went 11-5, beating Tennessee and the defending champion Indianapolis to reach the AFC title game. However, they fell to New England for the second year in a row. 2008 saw the Chargers drop to 8-8, but as the AFC West was unusually weak that year, they still managed to win the division title. Defeating the Colts in the wild card round, they lost to Pittsburgh in the divisional.San Diego began the 2009 season 2-3. After losing to the Broncos on Monday Night, they began an unbroken winning streak for the rest of the season, which included defeating the entire NFC East. In Week 11, they avenged their earlier loss against Denver by inflicting a 32-3 rout on them. The next game saw them beat a 1-11 Cleveland Browns squad 30-23, in which Ladainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson is an American football running back for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian.Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L...
broke Hall of Famer Jim Brown's rushing record and was congratulated by him afterwards. The Chargers secured another division title, the #2 AFC seed, and looked to be a near shoo-in for the Super Bowl. However, the team's postseason futility continued. Hosting the New York Jets on January 17, 2010, they endured a stunning upset defeat, where despite an early lead were unable to overcome the strong New York defense. Kicker Nate Kaeding
Nate Kaeding
Nathaniel James Kaeding is an American football placekicker who plays for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chargers in the 2004 NFL Draft in the 3rd round with a pick acquired from the Phillip Rivers-Eli Manning trade. He played college football at Iowa...
also missed three critical field goal and PAT attempts, which resulted in the Chargers losing 17-14.
Due to his age, Ladainian Tomlinson was released in March 2010 and almost as quickly found a new home with the Jets. On the season opener, the Chargers lost in Kansas City 21-14 for the first time in four years. Their home opener in Week 2 was an easy rout of the Jaguars, but they failed to sell enough tickets and consequently suffered a blackout for the first time since 2004. They followed this with a trip to Seattle in which they lost 27-20. Returning home for Week 4, the Chargers inflicted a 41-10 rout on Arizona, but on the downside the game was blacked out again. The following week, they lost to the Raiders for the first time in seven years.