The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL) based in the Greater Los Angeles Area. The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), and spent its first season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego in 1961. [1] They returned to Los Angeles in 2017. NFL teams assign each of their players a jersey number ranging from 0 through 99. [2] The Chargers no longer issue six retired numbers.
As of 2010, the team's 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. The committee consisted of Chargers Executive Vice President A. G. 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. [3]
The Chargers have rarely retired numbers. [4] In 2006, The San Diego Union-Tribune wrote, "The [Chargers] tend to honor their heritage haphazardly." [5] Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive tackle Ron Mix in 1969 was the first Charger to have his number retired after he announced he was quitting football. [3] [6] However, he came out of retirement in 1971 to play for the Oakland Raiders. [7] Then-Chargers owner Gene Klein, who hated the Raiders, unretired the number. [8]
Dan Fouts had his No. 14 retired in 1988, a year after his retirement. [9] He was the first NFL quarterback to top the 4,000-yard passing mark in three consecutive seasons. He set a then-NFL single-season passing record in 1981, throwing for a career-high 4,802 yards. [10] At the retirement of his number, Fouts asked for "more recognition of former players and a warmer relationship between Charger players and management. I'd like to see Lance Alworth's number retired, too. We've had some great players here." [11]
Alworth's No. 19 was retired in 2005, 35 years after he last played for the Chargers and 27 years after he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [5] [9] He was still one of the most popular athletes in San Diego history. Nicknamed Bambi for his speed and graceful leaping skills, Alworth was a pioneer for the Chargers and the AFL in the 1960s. He was selected All-AFL seven times from 1963 to 1969 and averaged more than 50 catches and 1,000 yards a year with San Diego. [12] [13] He retired with the most career yards (9,584) in team history, a record that held for almost 45 years. [lower-alpha 1]
The Union-Tribune in 2003 wrote that the Chargers no longer retired numbers, but Chargers president Dean Spanos said Junior Seau might be an exception. "If there's going to be another number retired, that's the one that's going to be retired," Spanos said. [15] Seau made 12 consecutive Pro Bowl appearances with San Diego. [16] He initially retired from the NFL in a 2006 ceremony with the Chargers, and the team planned to retire his number—as early as 2011—after his anticipated induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. [17] However, Seau signed with the New England Patriots four days later, and continued playing until 2009. [18] [19] Seau's No. 55 was retired in 2012 posthumously at his memorial. [8] [20] [21] "His play on the field combined with his leadership and charisma became the face of this team for more than a decade. I can't think of anyone more deserving of this honor," said Spanos. [16]
After LaDainian Tomlinson signed a one-day contract and retired as a Charger in 2012, Dean Spanos said his number would be retired in the future. [22] On November 22, 2015, the Chargers retired Tomlinson's No. 21.
In 2020, Chargers equipment manager Bob Wick said that he tried to keep Charlie Joiner's No. 18 out of circulation, [3] even though it had not been officially retired. [8] [23] The Chargers retired Joiner's No. 18 and Kellen Winslow's No. 80 in 2023. [24]
| No. | Retired number |
|---|---|
| Player | Name of player honored |
| Position | Player position |
| Career | Years played with Chargers |
| Retired | Year number was retired |
| Honours | Accomplishments and awards |
† | Posthumously retired |
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The Chargers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team plays its home games at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, which it shares with the Los Angeles Rams.
Keith Payson Lincoln was an American professional football halfback who played for eight seasons in the American Football League (AFL), primarily with the San Diego Chargers. He played college football for the Washington State Cougars. Lincoln was a two-time All-AFL selection and a five-time AFL All-Star. A member of the Chargers Hall of Fame, he won an AFL championship with the Chargers in 1963, when he was named the most valuable player (MVP) of the championship game. He had a stint with the Buffalo Bills before returning to San Diego and finishing his career.
Lance Dwight Alworth, nicknamed "Bambi", is an American former professional football wide receiver who played for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) and Dallas Cowboys of the NFL. Often considered one of the greatest wide receivers of all time, he played for 11 seasons, from 1962 through 1972, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1978. He was the first player inducted whose playing career was principally in the AFL. Alworth is also a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. His teammates called him Bambi because he had a baby face and could run like a deer.
Ronald Jack Mix is an American former professional football offensive tackle. He is a member of the American Football League All-Time Team, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979. Mix played college football for the USC Trojans, where he was named to the All American team. He played at right tackle and guard for the Los Angeles / San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL) and also played for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). While playing in Oakland for the Raiders he was a part of the only offensive line in NFL history to be composed entirely all Hall of Famers. Art Shell, Gene Upshaw, Jim Otto, Ron Mix, and Bob Brown from left to right. An eight-time AFL All-Star (1961–1968) and a nine-time All-AFL (1960–1968) selection, he is also a member of the Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame.
Tiaina Baul "Junior" Seau Jr. was an American professional football linebacker who played in the National Football League (NFL), mostly with the San Diego Chargers. Known for his passionate play, he was a six-time first-team All-Pro, twelve-time Pro Bowl selection, and named to the NFL 1990s All-Decade Team. He was elected posthumously to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
Daniel Francis Fouts is an American former professional football quarterback who played for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL) throughout his 15-season career (1973–1987). After a relatively undistinguished first five seasons in the league, Fouts came to prominence as the on-field leader during the Chargers' Air Coryell period. He led the league in passing every year from 1979 to 1982, passing for over 4,000 yards in the first three of these—no previous quarterback had posted consecutive 4,000-yard seasons. Fouts was voted a Pro Bowler six times, first-team All-Pro twice, and Offensive Player of the Year in 1982. He was named a member of the NFL 1980s All-Decade Team, and elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993, his first year of eligibility.
Kellen Boswell Winslow Sr. is an American former professional football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL). A member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame (1995), he is widely recognized as one of the greatest tight ends in the league's history. Winslow played his entire NFL career (1979–1987) with the San Diego Chargers after being selected in the first round of the 1979 NFL draft. He played college football for the Missouri Tigers, earning consensus All-American honors in 1978. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
Charles B. Joiner Jr. is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the American Football League (AFL) and the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. He played 11 seasons with the San Diego Chargers, with whom he earned all three of his Pro Bowl selections, and was named first-team All-Pro by the Associated Press in 1980. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college football career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft. He spent nine years with the Chargers, earning five Pro Bowl appearances, three Associated Press first-team All-Pro nominations, and two NFL rushing titles. Tomlinson was also voted the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2006 after breaking the record for touchdowns in a single season. He played two further seasons with the New York Jets, before retiring. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
"San Diego Super Chargers" was the fight song of the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League (NFL). The disco song was written in 1979 during the Air Coryell era of the San Diego Chargers, and it was recorded by a session band dubbed "Captain Q.B. and the Big Boys." New Chargers owners replaced the song in 1989 with a non-disco cover version, but the original version was revived around 2002. The team itself was also sometimes referred to as the San Diego Super Chargers.
Louis James Kelcher is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL), spending most of his career with the San Diego Chargers. He was a four-time All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowl selection. Kelcher was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame and is a member of their 40th and 50th anniversary teams.
Donald David Coryell was an American football coach. He coached in high school, college, and the professional ranks; his most notable NCAA post was with the San Diego State Aztecs, then he moved on to the National Football League (NFL), first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977 and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1986. Well known for his innovations in football's passing game, in particular the Air Coryell offense he created with the Chargers, Coryell was the first head coach to win more than 100 games at both the collegiate and professional levels. He was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1994, the College Football Hall of Fame in 1999, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
The Epic in Miami was the National Football League AFC divisional playoff game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins that took place on January 2, 1982 in the Miami Orange Bowl. The game, won by the Chargers in overtime, 41–38, is one of the most famous in National Football League lore because of the enormity of scoring, the conditions on the field, the performances of players on both teams, and the numerous records that were set. This partially initiated a Dolphins-Chargers rivalry.
Eugene Victor Klein was an American businessman who was chairman of the board of directors and chief stockholder of National General Corporation, an insurance and entertainment company based in Los Angeles, California. Klein was also a founding partner of the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association, owner of the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League from 1966 to 1984, and a major figure in Thoroughbred horse racing.
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.
The 1976 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's seventh season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 17th overall. The Chargers improved on their 2–12 record from 1975 and finished 6–8, but missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season. The Chargers started off the season by winning their first 3 games, but they struggled through the rest of the season by losing 8 of their last 11 games, which included 4 shutout losses, two of which were to division rival Denver.
The San Diego Chargers announced their 50th anniversary team in 2009 to honor the top players and coaches in the history of the National Football League team. The Chargers were founded in 1959 as part of the American Football League. The anniversary team included 53 players and coaches selected from 103 nominees. The Chargers originally stated that only 50 members would be selected; the group is still sometimes referred to as the 50 Greatest Chargers. 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. The team features eight Pro Football Hall of Fame members and 11 players that were active on the 2009 Chargers team.
Dean Alexander Spanos is the chairman and owner of the National Football League (NFL)'s San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers franchise. He is the son of Alex Spanos, who purchased majority interest in the team in 1984. Dean Spanos took over daily operations from his father in 1994, becoming president and CEO, until he passed operations to his own sons in 2015. Dean took over full ownership after his father's death in 2018.
The Los Angeles Chargers are a professional American football team in the National Football League (NFL) based in the Los Angeles Area. The club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), and spent its first season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego in 1961. They returned to Los Angeles in 2017. The Chargers created their Hall of Fame in 1976. Eligible candidates for the Hall of Fame must have been retired for at least four seasons. 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.
Alworth averaged more than 50 catches and 1,000 yards a year with the Chargers.
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