Los Angeles Chargers
| San Diego Chargers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Established 1960 Play in San Diego, California | |||
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| League/conference affiliations | |||
American Football League (1960-1969)
National Football League (1970–present)
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| Uniforms | |||
| Team colors | Navy Blue, White, and Gold | ||
| Fight song | San Diego Super Chargers | ||
| Personnel | |||
| Head coach | Marty Schottenheimer | ||
| Team history | |||
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| Championships | |||
League championships (1)
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Conference championships (1)
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Division championships (11)
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| Home fields | |||
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The San Diego Chargers American football club is a National Football League team based in San Diego, California. Originally called the Los Angeles Chargers, the club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League. The club spent its first season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego.
The Chargers won one AFL title in 1963 before joined the NFL as part of the AFL-NFL Merger.
- Uniform colors: Navy Blue, White, and Gold
Note: The original colors of the Charger franchise was Electric blue (sky blue), gold, and white. The Chargers now annually wear throwback uniforms from the 1960's that are sentimental favorites
- Helmet design: A yellow and white lightning bolt on a blue helmet.
Note: The throwback jersey helmets are white with a yellow lightning bolt and the player number in black.
- Nicknames: Bolts, Super Chargers
- Majority owner: Alex Spanos
- Minority owner (3%): George Pernicano
- Radio Stations: KIOX (105.3 FM)-English and XEXX (1420 AM)-Spanish
- Radio Announcers: Hank Bauer, Josh Lewin, and Katy Temple-English; Efren Dominguez and Jorge Villanueva- Spanish
Franchise history
Established with seven other American Football League teams in 1959, in 1960, the Chargers began AFL play in Los Angeles. The Chargers' original owner was hotel heir Barron Hilton, son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. The Chargers only spent one season in L.A. before moving to San Diego in 1961. The early AFL years of the San Diego Chargers were highlighted by the outstanding play of wide receiver Lance Alworth. In his day, he set the pro football record of consecutive games with a reception.
Their only coach for the ten year life of the AFL was Sid Gillman, a Hall of Famer who forced his competition to try to field as professional a product as the Chargers. With stars such as Lance Alworth, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln and John Hadl, the Chargers' offense struck fear into the hearts of AFL defenders. They also played defense, as indicated by their professional football record 49 pass interceptions in 1961. The Chargers were the originators of the term "Fearsome Foursome" to describe their all-star defensive line, anchored by Earl Faison and Ernie Ladd (the latter also dabbled in professional wrestling). The phrase was later appropriated by various NFL teams. The Chargers franchise appeared in the first two American Football League Championship games and five altogether, winning the AFL title in 1963 with a 51 - 10 thumping of the Boston Patriots. The Chargers of that era were widely acknowledged as having the most striking uniforms in the history of pro football.
In 1970, the San Diego Chargers settled into the AFC West division after the NFL merger with the AFL. 1979 marks a positive turning point for the Chargers franchise as quarterback Dan Fouts sets an NFL record with his fourth consecutive 300-yard passing game, in a game in which he threw for 303 yards against the Oakland Raiders. Coached by Don Coryell and also featuring running back Chuck Muncie and tight end Kellen Winslow, San Diego also clinched their first playoff berth in 14 years with a 35-0 victory against the New Orleans Saints. On Dec. 17, 1979, the Chargers defeat 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.
On January 2, 1982 the Chargers were involved in a memorable overtime playoff game against the Miami Dolphins, ultimately winning 41-38. Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts and Dolphins quarterback David Woodley both threw for more than 400 yards, and Chargers tight end Kellen Winslow caught 13 passes 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.
In 1995, the San Diego Chargers, coached by Bobby Ross, made their first and only Super Bowl appearance against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX in Miami. They got to the Super Bowl by winning the AFC West Division championship behind a strong defense led by linebacker Junior Seau and safety Rodney Harrison and an offense keyed by running back Natrone Means, and then gaining upset victories over the Miami Dolphins and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC playoffs. The underdog Chargers lost to the 49ers, led by quarterback Steve Young and wide receiver Jerry Rice, 49-26.
They were the host team for Super Bowls 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.
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 got off to a rough start on 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 LaDanian Tomlinson had one the greatest games of his career. He got 383 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 for the first time this 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 and get a five-game winning streak going. 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) 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. In their next game, on December 18, the Chargers did what was thought impossible. They beat the undefeated Indianapolis Colts 26-17. The Colts had been on 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 Pittsburgh Steelers, who would qualify for the playoffs with the 6th seed in the AFC if the season ended today, enjoyed a 41-0 win over their AFC North rival Cleveland Browns and improved their record to 10-5. Even if the Chargers were to win their last game to finish 10-6 and Pittsburgh were to lose and fall to 10-6, the Steelers own the head-to-head tiebreaker by virtue of their 24-22 victory over the Chargers on October 10, 2005.
Season-by-season
| Season | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Chargers | |||||
| 1960 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 1st West (AFL) | Lost AFL Championship (Oilers) |
| San Diego Chargers | |||||
| 1961 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 1st West (AFL) | Lost AFL Championship (Oilers) |
| 1962 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 3rd West (AFL) | -- |
| 1963 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 1st West (AFL) | Won AFL Championship |
| 1964 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1st West (AFL) | Lost AFL Championship (Bills) |
| 1965 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 1st West (AFL) | Lost AFL Championship (Bills) |
| 1966 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 3rd West (AFL) | -- |
| 1967 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 3rd West (AFL) | -- |
| 1968 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 3rd West (AFL) | -- |
| 1969 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 3rd West (AFL) | -- |
| Merged into NFL | |||||
| 1970 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1971 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1972 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1973 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1974 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1975 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1976 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1977 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1978 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1979 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Oilers) |
| 1980 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost AFC Championship (Raiders) |
| 1981 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost AFC Championship (Bengals) |
| 1982 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5th AFC Conf. | Lost Second Round (Dolphins) |
| 1983 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1984 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1985 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1986 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1987 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1988 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1989 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1990 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1991 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1992 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) |
| 1993 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 1994 | 11 | 5 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Super Bowl XXIX (49ers) |
| 1995 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd AFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Colts) |
| 1996 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 1997 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1998 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 1999 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 2000 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 2001 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 5th AFC West | -- |
| 2002 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 3rd AFC West | -- |
| 2003 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 4th AFC West | -- |
| 2004 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1st AFC West | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Jets) |
| *2005 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 2nd-Tie AFC West | -- |
*=Current Standing
Fight Song
The Chargers disco-themed fight song was played over stadium loudspeakers during the Air-Coryell era of the late 1970's/early 1980's. The song has made a comeback in popularity and is now played again after scores. The lyrics are as follows:
San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! Charge!
We're coming your way, We're gonna dazzle you with our super play. The time has come, You know we're shooting for number one. With thunderbolts and lightning We'll light up the sky, We'll give it all we've got, and more With the Super Charger try!
San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! Charge!
We've got a plan, We're gonna do it for our super fans. All we seek, Is the goal line to victory. We'll ignite you, excite you With high voltage play. We won't let up a minute, We're going all the way - all the way!
San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! Charge!
We're coming your way With the Super Chargers' play. We're coming at you. Now we're coming through!
San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! San Diego Super Chargers, San Diego Chargers! Charge!
Players of note
Current players
Retired numbers
- 14 Dan Fouts
- 19 Lance Alworth
Chargers Hall of Fame
The Chargers have a team Hall of Fame with the following members:
- 56 Emil Karas, LB, 1960-66, inducted 1976
- 55 Frank Buncom, LB, 1962-68, inducted 1976
- 53 Bob Laraba, LB, 1960-61, inducted 1976
- 38 Jacque MacKinnon, RB, 1961-69, inducted 1976
- 19 Lance Alworth, WR, 1962-70, inducted 1977
- 74 Ron Mix, OT, 1960-69, inducted 1978
- 23 Paul Lowe, RB, 1960-68, inducted 1979
- Barron Hilton, team founder-owner, 1960-66, inducted 1980
- 22 Keith Lincoln, RB, 1961-68, inducted 1980
- 77 Ernie Ladd, DT, 1961-65, inducted 1981
- 78 Walt Sweeney, G, 1963-69, inducted 1981
- 21 John Hadl, QB, 1962-72, inducted 1983
- 50 Chuck Allen, LB, 1961-69, inducted 1984
- 27 Gary Garrison, WR, 1966-76, inducted 1985
- Sid Gillman, head coach, 1961-69 & 1971, inducted 1985
- 86 Earl Faison, 1961-66, inducted 1986
- 14 Dan Fouts, QB, 1973-87, inducted 1993
- 18 Charlie Joiner, WR, 1976-86, inducted 1993
- Don Coryell, head coach, 1978-86, inducted 1994
- 45 Speedy Duncan, CB, 1964-70, inducted 1995
- 85 Russ Washington, DT, 1968-82, inducted 1995
- 80 Kellen Winslow, TE, 1979-87, inducted 1995
- George Pernicano, team executive, since 1961, inducted 1996
- 6 Rolf Benirschke, K, 1978-87, inducted 1997
- 22 Gil Byrd, CB 1983-92, inducted 1998
- 97 Gary "Big Hands" Johnson, DT, 1975-84, inducted 1999
- 63 Doug Wilkerson, G, 1971-84, inducted 2000
- 89 Wes Chandler, WR, 1981-87, inducted 2001
- 12 Stan Humphries, QB, 1992-97, inducted 2002
- Bobby Ross, head coach, 1992-96, inducted 2002
- 74 Louie Kelcher, DT, 1975-83, inducted 2003
- 62 Don Macek, C, 1976-89, inducted 2004
- 67 Ed White, G, 1978-85, inducted 2004
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.
Not to be forgotten
- Gary Anderson (RB)
- Darren Bennett
- Marion Butts
- John Carney
- Curtis Conway
- Tim Dwight
- Miller Farr
- Doug Flutie
- Rodney Harrison
- Jack Kemp
- Ryan Leaf
- Paul Maguire
- Natrone Means
- Alfred Pupunu
- Junior Seau
- Billy Ray Smith
- Walt Sweeney
- Kellen Winslow
- Ernie Wright