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San Diego Chargers

The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating back to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now known as the Los Angeles Chargers.

This article is about the team. For the song "San Diego Chargers", see All U Need Is Mosh.

San Diego Chargers

Navy blue, powder blue, gold, white
       

Barron Hilton (1961–1966)
Eugene Klein and Sam Schulman (1966–1984)
Alex Spanos (1984–2017)

Sid Gillman (1961–1970)
Harland Svare (1971–1975)
Johnny Sanders (1976–1986)
Steve Ortmayer (1987–1989)
Bobby Beathard (1990–2000)
John Butler (2001–2003)
A. J. Smith (2003–2013)
Tom Telesco (2013–2017)

Sid Gillman (1961–1969, 1971)
Charlie Waller (1969–1970)
Harland Svare (1971–1973)
Ron Waller (1973)
Tommy Prothro (1974–1978)
Don Coryell (1978–1986)
Al Saunders (1986–1988)
Dan Henning (1989–1991)
Bobby Ross (1992–1996)
Kevin Gilbride (1997–1998)
June Jones (1998)
Mike Riley (1999–2001)
Marty Schottenheimer (2002–2006)
Norv Turner (2007–2012)
Mike McCoy (2013–2017)

The Chargers' first home game in San Diego was at Balboa Stadium against the Oakland Raiders on September 17, 1961. Their final game as a San Diego-based club was played at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego at the end of the 2016 season on January 1, 2017, against the Kansas City Chiefs, who defeated them 37–27.[1]

Early history (1961–1977)[edit]

1961–1966[edit]

The Chargers played in four of the first five AFL national championship games after their move (1961, 1963, 1964, 1965), although they won only in 1963.


In the early years wide receiver Lance Alworth made 543 receptions for 10,266 yards in a career of eleven AFL and NFL seasons. He set a record of 96 consecutive games with a reception.[12] With players such as Alworth, Paul Lowe, Keith Lincoln and John Hadl, the Chargers reached the AFL championship game four times and won it once.[13]

As a result of the AFL–NFL merger, the league was broken into two conferences; the AFL teams moved into the American Football Conference.

A

This season included the Holy Roller game.

B

The Chargers finished ahead of Oakland in the AFC West based on better net points in division games.

C

The Chargers finished ahead of the Denver Broncos based on better divisional record.

D

This game is known as The Epic in Miami.

E

This game was known as the Freezer Bowl.

F

The 1982 season was shortened by a strike, so the league was divided up into two conferences instead of its normal divisional alignment.

G

The strike of 1987 reduced the regular season schedule from 16 to 15 games.

H

History of the National Football League in Los Angeles

History of the Los Angeles Chargers