The Los Angeles Chargers played in five of the first six American Football League Championship Games, winning in 1963. Since that point, the Chargers have only been to the AFC title game four times, and their lone appearance in the NFL’s biggest game resulted in a 49-26 loss to the 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX after the 1994 season. Despite the lack of team success, the Chargers have had their share of individual stars, including wide receivers Lance Alworth and Charlie Joiner, tight end Kellen Winslow and running back LaDainian Tomlinson, have all been involved in trades. However, the biggest deals in franchise history have all involved quarterbacks. The top two passers in the franchise record books, Dan Fouts and Philip Rivers, both came to Southern California via trade. The Chargers also made a deal in 1998 to move up and select Ryan Leaf, who had aspirations to be a perennial Pro Bowler, but ended up one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history.

1. May 19, 1971:

Chargers acquired: TE Pettis Norman, DT Ron East, and T Tony Liscio

Cowboys acquired: WR Lance Alworth

Norman was a tight end who played at little-known Division II school Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, where he was a two-time All-Star selection in the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association. Norman was drafted by the AFL’s Dallas Texans in 1962, but when the team moved to Kansas City, he signed with the Cowboys. He was a starter for most of his nine-year stay in Dallas, functioning mostly as a blocker but also scoring 14 touchdowns. After the trade, he totaled 820 yards and a score in three years with the Chargers before retiring in 1973 due to a knee injury. Norman has been an activist for race relations dating back to his playing days, and he later started an organization that works to help minority-owned businesses and improve minority hiring. East was a Montana State defensive tackle who was a reserve for his first four seasons with Dallas. He started 36 games in three years in San Diego, then, after a year in the World Football League, played one season each with the Browns, Falcons, and Seahawks before retiring in 1978. Liscio was an offensive lineman who was drafted by the Packers in 1963, but signed with the Cowboys after he was released in training camp. He played 84 games at tackle and guard in seven years with Dallas, but missed the 1965 season due to a staph infection he contracted after offseason knee surgery. Liscio spent less than four months as a member of the Chargers before being moved to the Dolphins, but he retired rather than play in Miami. However, when Dallas had injuries on the offensive line, he came back to help the team win Super Bowl VI before officially hanging up his cleats. Liscio died in 2017 from Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Alworth was an Arkansas product that quickly became one of the AFL’s best wide receivers. He was a seven-time AFL All-Star, a six-time All-Pro and he scored a touchdown in the Chargers’ title victory in 1963. Alworth ranks second in team history with 9,584 yards and 81 touchdowns, and he is sixth with 493 catches. Nicknamed “Bambi” due to his graceful stride and leaping ability, Alworth went over the 1,000-yard mark seven times and led the AFL in yards and touchdowns three times each. He played just two years in Dallas after the trade, but scored in the Super Bowl VI win over Miami. Alworth retired in 1972 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame six years later.

Assessment: Despite being an all-time Chargers great, Alworth won his only Super Bowl with Dallas. Liscio never played for San Diego and returned to his long-time team to help in the Super Bowl V victory. COWBOYS

2. July 31, 1972:

Chargers acquired: A third-round pick in the 1973 NFL Draft

Raiders acquired: RB Jeff Queen

The Chargers went to five AFL Championship Games in the league’s first six seasons but didn’t return to the playoffs until 1979. One of the main reasons for the resurgence was the pick acquired in this trade. Dan Fouts was a former Oregon quarterback who became a record-setting passer in the NFL. The six-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro and 1982 Offensive Player of the Year set the single-season passing yard record for three consecutive years from 1979-81. Fouts was the leader of head coach Don Coryell’s high-powered offense that allowed the team to reach two straight AFC title games. He retired in 1987 after spending his entire 15-year career with San Diego. At the time, Fouts was the team’s all-time leader with 43,040 yards and 254 touchdowns, but he has been passed by Philip Rivers in both categories. He spent most of his post-playing days as a broadcaster, but he was let go by CBS in April 2020. Fouts was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.

Queen was a former Morgan State product who led the Chargers with 262 rushing yards as a fullback in 1970. He totaled 579 yards and five touchdowns in three years with San Diego. Queen then played two years with Oakland and one with Houston before retiring in 1974.

Assessment: Foutz was able to thrive in a pass-happy offense and helped San Diego create its first sustained success in more than a decade. CHARGERS

3. (Part One) January 25, 1973:

Chargers acquired: DE Coy Bacon and RB Bob Thomas

Rams acquired: QB John Hadl

(Part Two) March 31, 1976:

Chargers acquired: WR Charlie Joiner

Bengals acquired: DE Coy Bacon

Bacon was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cowboys in 1967, but never appeared in a game with Dallas and was traded to the Rams the following year. He played five seasons in Los Angeles, making the Pro Bowl in 1972 as a member of the “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line. Bacon spent three years in San Diego before being moved to Cincinnati. Thomas was a former Arizona State running back who was traded by the Rams after posting career highs with 433 rushing, 95 receiving, and 212 kick return yards, as well as three touchdowns, in 1972. He totaled 164 yards (104 rushing, 60 receiving) in two years with the Chargers before retiring in 1974.

Hadl was selected to five Pro Bowls in 11 seasons with the Chargers, and was the team’s all-time leader in passing yards (26,938) and touchdowns (201) before Fouts came along. Hadl played just one full season (1973) with the Rams, but earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro honors while leading Los Angeles to a 12-2 record. He spent a year and a half with Green Bay and two years in Houston before retiring in 1977.

Joiner was drafted by the Oilers as a defensive back out of Grambling State in 1969, but converted to wide receiver as a rookie. He was traded to the Bengals during the 1972 season and he spent 3½ years with Cincinnati before being sent to San Diego. Joiner’s career took off with the Chargers, thanks to Fouts and the “Air Coryell” offense. With San Diego, Joiner posted four 1,000-yard seasons, earned three Pro Bowl selections and was named an All-Pro in 1980. The Chargers reached back-to-back AFC Championship Games, with Joiner posting six catches for 130 yards and two touchdowns in a 1980 loss to the Raiders. He ranks second in Chargers history with 586 receptions, third with 9,203 yards and fourth with 47 touchdowns. Joiner was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

Although sacks were not an official statistic until 1982, Bacon set an unofficial Bengals team record with 22 in 1976. After two Pro Bowl seasons with the Bengals, he was traded a fourth time in 1978, this time to Washington, where he spent the final four years of his NFL career. After a year away from football, Bacon played with the Washington Federals of the United States Football League, retiring after the 1983 season.

Assessment: Bacon was better with Los Angeles and Cincinnati than he was in San Diego. Hadl had a strong career in San Diego, but earned his only All-Pro selection with the Rams. Joiner was at home in the “Air” Coryell offense, ranking high on San Diego’s all-time receiving list and helping the team reach the AFC Championship Game twice. CHARGERS

4. May 3, 1979:

Chargers acquired: A first-round pick in the 1979 NFL Draft

Browns acquired: First- and second-round picks in 1979

The Chargers used this trade to move up seven spots in 1979 and draft Kellen Winslow, who was an All-American tight end at Missouri the year before. In his first five seasons, Winslow was selected to the four Pro Bowls and three All-Pro teams. He also had three 1,000-yard campaigns and led the NFL in receptions twice. Winslow suffered a knee injury as a rookie, a pinched nerve in his shoulder during a playoff game in 1982, and a severe right knee injury in 1984 that required extensive surgery. Winslow made the Pro Bowl for the fifth time in 1987 and retired after the season, finishing with 541 receptions (third in Chargers team history). He also ranks fifth on San Diego’s all-time list with 6,741 yards and 45 touchdowns. His most memorable game was the one in which he injured his shoulder, an AFC Division Round Game that became known as “The Epic in Miami.” Winslow scored a touchdown, set playoff records with 13 catches and 166 yards and blocked Uwe Von Schamann’s late field goal attempt, which sent the game to overtime.  The Chargers went on to win the game, 41-38. Winslow was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995.

Cleveland’s first selection was Willis Adams, a former University of Houston wide receiver who totaled 61 receptions and 962 yards in seven seasons as a reserve with the Browns. The second-rounder was Sam Claphan, an offensive lineman with Oklahoma. Claphan failed to make the Browns as a rookie and signed with the Chargers the following year. He appeared in 87 total games in several spots on the offensive line during his seven seasons with San Diego retiring in 1987. Claphan died of a heart attack in 2001.

Assessment: Winslow was a Hall of Famer, and one of the best receiving tight ends of his era. Adams was a part-time starter in Cleveland and Claphan never played for the Browns. CHARGERS

5. (Part One) October 2, 1981:

Chargers acquired: First- and second-round picks in the 1983 NFL Draft

49ers acquired: DE Fred Dean and a first-round pick in 1983

(Part Two) April 22, 1983:

Chargers acquired: A first-round pick in the 1983 NFL Draft

49ers acquired: Two second-round picks in 1983

The 1981 trade included a swap of first-round picks two years later, which allowed the Chargers to select Oklahoma’s two-time All-American linebacker Billy Ray Smith Jr. fifth overall. The son of the former Colts defensive lineman of the same name, Smith Jr. played 126 games and spent his entire 10-year career with the Chargers. He totaled 26½ sacks (including a career-high 11 in 1986), as well as 15 interceptions and 14 fumble recoveries. Smith Jr. retired in 1992.

The second-round pick was sent back to the 49ers on Draft Day in 1983 as part of the deal that gave the Chargers back the late first-rounder they sent to San Francisco in the initial trade. San Diego selected San Jose State defensive back Gill Byrd with pick 22. Byrd was a two-time Pro Bowler and is the all-time franchise leader with 42 interceptions. He retired in 1992 after 10 seasons with the Chargers and turned to coaching. Byrd was a coach for several NFL teams from 2003-17 before taking his current position as defensive backs coach with the University of Illinois.

Dean was a Louisiana Tech product who starred on the Chargers’ “Bruise Brothers” defensive line for six full seasons. Although sacks were not an official NFL statistic during his tenure in San Diego, he was credited with 15½ in 1978. Dean was a two-time Pro Bowler and a 1980 All-Pro, but he and the Chargers were involved in a contract dispute that led to this trade. With San Francisco, he was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in his first season. Two years later, Dean made his fourth and final Pro Bowl after setting a career-high with 17½ sacks. He was also a member of two 49ers championship teams. Dean retired after the 1985 season and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

The 1983 trade allowed San Francisco to draft Nebraska’s Roger Craig, who became one of the most versatile running backs in NFL history. Craig is a four-time Pro Bowler who ranks third in team history with 7,064 rushing yards and 50 touchdowns. He is also third with 508 receptions (including a league-high 92 in 1985) and 10th with 4,442 receiving yards. Craig’s best season was 1988, when he earned All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year honors after posting career highs with 1,502 yards and nine scores. He was the first running back in NFL history to post both 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season (1,050 rushing and 1,016 receiving in 1985). Craig was also a key member of three Super Bowl-winning teams, scoring touchdowns in two games and posting 101 receiving yards in the other to become the first running back to accomplish that feat in the Super Bowl. He signed with the Raiders in 1991, and also spent two seasons with the Vikings before retiring in 1993. Craig has continued running after his playing career. In addition to being the vice president of a tech company, he has competed in more than three dozen marathons and half-marathons.

The other pick was traded to the Rams later on Draft Day for Wendell Tyler, Cody Jones, and a third-round pick. Tyler was a UCLA running back who posted two 1,000-yard seasons with the Rams. He tallied a career-high 12 touchdowns in 1981. Three years later, Tyler made his only Pro Bowl after running for a career-best 1,262 yards and seven scores with the 49ers. He also ran for 65 yards in San Francisco’s Super Bowl XIX win over Miami. Jones was a former San Jose State defensive tackle who played 110 games in nine seasons with the Rams. He made the Pro Bowl in 1978, but missed the next year after suffering a torn Achilles tendon. Jones retired after the trade and never played with the 49ers. The third-round pick was used on Blanchard Montgomery, a linebacker from UCLA. He played just 27 games in two seasons before retiring, with his last game being San Francisco’s victory in Super Bowl XIX.

Assessment: Smith Jr. and Byrd spent their entire careers in San Diego and Dean had some of his best seasons there as well. Tyler and Craig created a formidable tandem in San Francisco’s backfield, with Craig becoming a dual-threat star who was a part of three title teams. The teams split victories in the trades, making this a PUSH

6. April 29, 1986:

Chargers acquired: First- and third-round picks in the 1986 Draft

Vikings acquired: First- and second-round picks in 1986

With this trade, San Diego moved up six spots and drafted Leslie O’Neal, who was a two-time All-American defensive end at Oklahoma State. O’Neal was named Defensive Rookie of the Year after posting 12½ sacks in 1986, but he suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee that kept him out of action for nearly two years. He did not miss a beat after returning from surgery, amassing 10 or more sacks in seven of his nine active seasons in San Diego while splitting time between defensive end and linebacker. After amassing six Pro Bowl selections and a franchise-record 105½ sacks, O’Neal left the Chargers and played two seasons each with the Rams and Chiefs before retiring in early 2000. He was inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 2014. San Diego used the third-round pick on Colorado State defensive tackle Terry Unrein, who had three sacks in two seasons with the Chargers and retired after a failed tryout with the 49ers in 1989.

Minnesota’s first-round pick became Gerald Robinson, who was a defensive end from Auburn. His 26 sacks in college tied for the Tigers’ team record (along with Quentin Groves). Robinson had 3½ sacks in 16 games over two seasons with the Vikings. He signed with the Chargers in 1989 and played two seasons in San Diego and four more with the Los Angeles Rams, amassing 19 career sacks before he retired in 1994. The second-rounder was sent to the Giants as part of the deal that brought former Oregon offensive tackle and USFL star Gary Zimmerman to Minnesota. In seven seasons with the Vikings, Zimmerman was selected to four Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams. He went to the Broncos in 1993, made three Pro Bowls, and was named an All-Pro in 1996. Zimmerman’s final game was a start in Super Bowl XXXII, in which the Broncos defeated the Packers. He retired in 1998 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

Assessment: O’Neal was a pass rush specialist who set San Diego’s sack record and is a member of the team’s Hall of Fame. Zimmerman was one of the best tackles in the NFL throughout his career, and he cemented his Hall of Fame status with his Super Bowl success in Denver. PUSH

7. March 13, 1998:

Chargers acquired: The No. 2 overall pick in the 1998 Draft

Cardinals acquired: The 1998 No. 3 overall pick, a 1998 second-round pick, a 1999 first-rounder, LB Patrick Sapp and RB Eric Metcalf

This 1998 NFL Draft featured a quarterback competition for the top two draft spots between Tennessee’s Peyton Manning and Washington State star Ryan Leaf. Manning went first to the Colts and the Cardinals were set with Jake Plummer, so they sent the selection to the Chargers for three picks and two players. Leaf is known as one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. He had a 4-14 record and a 13-33 touchdown-to-interception ratio with San Diego, while also missing the 1999 season due to a shoulder injury. He also suffered a wrist injury that slowed his progress. Leaf was in the revolving door of quarterbacks for the Cowboys in 2001 and signed with the Seahawks the following year, but he abruptly retired before training camp. Leaf later struggled with drug and alcohol abuse and was arrested several times, mostly for theft and burglary. He was also arrested for domestic battery on May 22, 2020.

Arizona used the third overall pick on Andre Wadsworth, a defensive end from Florida State who totaled eight sacks in three years before three knee surgeries led to his retirement in 2000. The Cardinals took Vanderbilt safety Corey Chavous in the second round. He had five interceptions in four seasons with Arizona and 14 more in four years with the Vikings, including eight in 2003, when he made his only Pro Bowl. He played three seasons with the Rams and retired in 2008. The 1999 first-round pick was wide receiver David Boston, a 1998 All-American wide receiver at Ohio State who had two 1,000-yard seasons with the Cardinals. He was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro after leading the NFL with 1,598 yards in 2001. Boston was suspended for steroids, then suffered a knee injury, which cost him the entire 2004 season. He played just one season with the Dolphins and signed with the Buccaneers in 2006. However, he did not appear in a game and was released after a DUI arrest the following year. Boston signed with the Toronto Argonauts later that year, but he never played for the CFL team due to a stress fracture in his foot that required surgery. He retired in 2008 and has been in trouble with the law ever since. Boston has been arrested multiple times, with his most recent charge for aggravated battery on a woman in Florida in 2011. Coming off a Pro Bowl season with the Chargers in 1997, Metcalf spent just one year with Arizona, posting 1,218 kick return and 295 punt return yards. He played two seasons with the Panthers and one each with the Redskins and Packers before retiring in 2002. Sapp converted from quarterback to linebacker while at Clemson. He spent two years with San Diego and had two sacks in two seasons with Arizona. Sapp retired after spending the 2001 season with the Memphis Maniax of the original XFL.

Assessment: Boston had the most success of any player in this trade, but he and Leaf basically cancel one another out in terms of headaches created. Arizona holds the edge in this deal because they got such a big haul of assets and only had to move down one spot in the draft. CARDINALS

8. April 20, 2001:

Chargers acquired: The fifth overall pick and a second-rounder in the 2001 NFL Draft, as well as a second-round pick in 2002

Falcons acquired: The top overall pick in 2001

With the fifth overall pick, the Chargers selected running back LaDainian Tomlinson, a 2000 All-American at TCU. Tomlinson is the all-time franchise leader with 12,490 yards and 138 touchdowns, and he ran for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons. In 2006, he earned MVP and Offensive Player of the Year honors after leading the NFL with 1,815 yards and setting a league record with 28 touchdowns. The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro led the league in yards and scored twice each. Tomlinson signed with the Jets in 2010, and spent his final two seasons in New York. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. San Diego used the third-round pick on Florida State cornerback Tay Cody, another 2000 All-American. Cody had two interceptions as a rookie, but played just five games over the next two seasons. He ended his career in the CFL, spending one season with the Edmonton Eskimos and three with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats before retiring in 2008. The 2002 second-rounder was Reche Caldwell, a former Florida wide receiver who caught just 76 passes in four seasons with the Chargers but excelled on special teams. He played in the 2006 AFC Championship Game as a member of the Patriots and spent the following year with the Redskins before he retired

The Chargers held the top pick in the 2001 Draft, but they already had Doug Flutie at quarterback, so they traded away the pick for the haul mentioned above. The Falcons selected Virginia Tech quarterback Michael Vick, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist in 2000. Vick was a dual-threat star who became a three-time Pro Bowler. He threw for at least 2,000 yards four times and ran for 1,039 yards in 2006, a single-season record by a quarterback until Lamar Jackson broke it with 1,206 in 2019. Vick led the Falcons to the playoffs twice, including a loss to the Eagles in the 2005 NFC Championship Game. However, he missed the following two seasons after pleading guilty for running an illegal dogfighting ring. Vick signed with the Eagles in 2009 and made the Pro Bowl once in his five years with Philadelphia. He played for the Jets in 2014 and the Steelers in 2015 before retiring.

Assessment: While Vick lost two seasons in the prime of his career to the dogfighting scandal, he still might not have matched Tomlinson’s production anyway. Not only did San Diego have a future Hall of Famer on its roster for nine seasons, but another 2001 second-round pick was used on quarterback Drew Brees. CHARGERS

9. April 24, 2004:

Chargers acquired: First- and third-round picks in the 2004 NFL Draft, along with first- and fifth-round picks in 2005

Giants acquired: The top overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft

The Chargers knew going into the 2004 NFL Draft that consensus top pick Eli Manning did not want to play for San Diego (likely due to the influence of his father, Archie). Instead of selecting someone else or calling Manning’s bluff and either making him play or letting him sit out, general manager A. J. Smith sent him to the Giants for what became a monumental haul for the Chargers. The main piece of the deal was the fourth overall selection, which became Philip Rivers, the ACC’s Player of the Year in 2003 at North Carolina State. Despite spending his first two seasons as Drew Brees’ backup, Rivers holds team records with 59,271 yards and 397 touchdowns, and he led the league in both categories once. The eight-time Pro Bowler hit the 4,000-yard mark 11 times, threw for 20 or more scores 14 times, and had at least 30 touchdowns in six different seasons. Rivers also took his team to the playoffs six times, including a run to the AFC Championship Game in 2007. After 16 years with the Chargers, Rivers will bring his wife and nine children 2,000 miles to the northeast after signing a one-year deal with the Colts in 2020.

San Diego used the 2004 third-round pick to select Nate Kaeding, a two-time All-American kicker at Iowa. Kaeding ranks third in franchise history with 889 points, including seven seasons with 100 or more and a league-leading 146 in 2009, when he was named an All-Pro. He was a two-time Pro Bowler, but struggled during the postseason, going just 8-for-15 on field goal attempts in eight playoff games. Injuries derailed Kaeding’s later career. He missed almost all of the 2011 season after tearing his ACL in the first game, and was released the following year after suffering a groin injury. Kaeding played two games with the Dolphins at the end of the 2012 season and signed with the Buccaneers in 2013, but retired after another groin injury. After his career, he owned a restaurant in Iowa.

The 2005 first-round pick became Shawne Merriman, a former Maryland linebacker who earned Defensive Rookie of the Year honors after posting 12 sacks. Merriman went to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons and was named an All-Pro after leading the league with 17 sacks in 2006. Despite the performance, he was not allowed to participate in the Pro Bowl after testing positive for steroids in October, which bound a four-game suspension. The NFL used the incident to enact a rule prohibiting players from getting selected to the Pro Bowl or winning any awards in the same season they tested positive. Merriman missed all but one game in 2008 due to surgery to repair a torn PCL and LCL in his knee and was also out 13 games in 2010 thanks to an injured calf. He totaled 43½ sacks with San Diego, but just four came in his final three seasons. Merriman’s unluckiness continued after he signed with Buffalo the following year, as he missed 11 games due to an Achilles injury. After one more season with the Bills, he retired in 2013. The fifth-rounder was traded to the Buccaneers for tackle Roman Oben, who started all 16 games his first season with the Chargers but eventually lost playing time to Marcus McNeill. Since his retirement in 2008, Oben has been an advocate for youth sports enrichment and educational opportunities for former players.

The centerpiece to the deal for the Giants was Eli Manning, who won the Maxwell (best all-around player) and Unitas (best senior quarterback) awards in 2003 at Mississippi. Manning holds all-time Giants records with 57,023 yards, 366 touchdowns, and 244 interceptions. The four-time Pro Bowler has seven 4,000-yard campaigns and threw 30 or more scores three times. However, he also led the NFL in interceptions in three seasons. Manning led the Giants to the playoffs six times and was the MVP of Super Bowl XLII and XLVI victories against the Patriots. He was also the co-winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2016, an honor he shared with Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. Manning began his career by replacing future Hall of Famer Kurt Warner as Giants starter in 2004, and he ended it after being supplanted by New York’s first-round pick, Daniel Jones. He retired after the 2019 season.

 Assessment: A look at the stats between Rivers and Manning show nearly equal totals, with Rivers holding a slight edge. Kaeding was a good regular season kicker but his playoff misses proved costly. Merriman was fantastic in his first three seasons, but injuries ruined his promising career. All this would normally point to a Chargers advantage, but you can’t discount Manning’s leadership in winning two titles. PUSH

10. (Part One) April 16, 2003:

Chargers acquired: A conditional fifth-round pick in the 2004 NFL Draft

Dolphins acquired: LB Junior Seau

(Part Two) April 28, 2007:

Chargers acquired: A second-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft

Bears acquired: Second-, third- and fifth-round picks in 2007 and a third-rounder in 2008

These two trades involve two of the Chargers’ most recognizable defensive stars over the past 20 years. The 2003 deal brought in future star running back Michael Turner, but at the expense of Seau, arguably the most talented player in franchise history. Turner ranks second in Northern Illinois history with 4,941 rushing yards and fourth with 43 touchdowns. He spent his first four seasons as LaDainian Tomlinson’s backup in San Diego, but his career took off after signing with Atlanta in 2008. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro honors after rushing for career highs with 1,699 yards and 17 scores in his first season with the Falcons. Turner had double-digit touchdowns in each of his five seasons in Atlanta and is the all-time franchise leader with 60 scores. He also ranks second with 6,081 yards. Turner retired after being released by the Falcons in 2013.

The 2007 pick became Eric Weddle, a 2006 All-American safety at Utah. Weddle had 19 interceptions in nine seasons with the Chargers, including a league-leading seven in 2011. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro ranks third in team history with 851 tackles. Weddle signed with the Ravens in 2016 and made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons with Baltimore. He started all 16 games with the Rams last season and retired early in 2020.

Seau was a former USC linebacker who did just about everything on defense with San Diego. He made the Pro Bowl in all but his rookie season and was named an All-Pro six times. Seau’s 1,480 tackles are the most in franchise history, and he reached the 100-stop mark in eight seasons. The 1994 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award winner also ranks in the top 10 on the Chargers’ all-time list with 47 sacks (fifth), 11 forced fumbles (fourth) and 16 fumble recoveries (most among defensive players). Seau left the Chargers after 13 seasons, spending three years with the Dolphins and four with the Patriots before retiring in 2010. His later career was ruined by injuries, including a torn pectoral muscle, an Achilles injury and a broken right arm. He played in two Super Bowls, San Diego’s loss to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX and a loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII that spoiled the Patriots’ perfect season. In 2012, Seau’s girlfriend found him dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. The death brought more attention to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a disease that is common in athletes and can cause severe brain damage that gets worse over time. Seau’s family donated some of his brain tissue to be used to study the effects of CTE on the brain. He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2015, but his family was not allowed to speak on his behalf due to their lawsuit against the NFL.

The Bears originally held the Weddle pick, and they received four selections that turned into Dan Bazuin, Garrett Wolfe, and Kevin Payne in 2007, as well as Marcus Harrison in 2008. Bazuin was the 2005 Mid-American Conference (MAC) Defensive Player of the Year at defensive with Central Michigan. He was on injured reserve his entire rookie season with the Bears and retired after spending all of 2008 on the Texans’ practice squad. Ironically, Wolfe replaced Turner as Northern Illinois’ running back and set school records with 5,164 yards and 52 touchdowns in three years. He was a non-factor during his NFL career, rushing for just 282 yards in four seasons with the Bears. Wolfe spent 2011 with the United Football League’s Omaha Nighthawks and retired after a failed tryout with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes the following year. Payne was a former University of Louisiana at Monroe safety who had four interceptions and 137 tackles in three seasons with the Bears. He suffered an injury in 2010 with the Rams and retired the next year after a preseason injury while he was with the Panthers. Harrison was a defensive tackle at Arkansas who had three sacks in three seasons with Chicago. He signed with the Patriots in 2011, but retired after he was released by New England.

Assessment: None of Chicago’s picks amounted to much in the NFL. Seau did not have much individual success after leaving San Diego. Turner was much better with Atlanta, but Weddle’s presence in the defensive backfield is enough to give his longtime team the win in this trade. CHARGERS

All NFL statistics and awards courtesy of https://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Next: Los Angeles Rams

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-By: Kevin Rakas

Offseason Outlook: The Chargers Top 5 Needs/Wants

Going into this year the Chargers were seen as Super Bowl contenders. They have a strong offense led by Phillip Rivers and Melvin Gordon. While they had an excellent defense lead by Joey Bosa, Melvin Ingram, and rookie sensation Derwin James. Unfortunately for them, the plan didn’t work, and they had a season to forget really fast. It started in the offseason and preseason. Melvin Gordon wanted a new contract and decided to holdout until week 4 when he saw his team needed him to come back as they went 1-3 during that time. Not only did they need him, but the front office also made it clear they wouldn’t be bullied into giving him the contract he wanted. Next, Derwin James is hurt and ends up having surgery. He didn’t return until week 13 on the season when the chargers were basically out of it then. Lastly, Phillip Rivers ended up with one of the worst seasons of his career. It was bad enough that now the Chargers have admitted they will not resign the long time Charger and will be looking for a fresh start at the position next season. These factors all added up and helped the Chargers go 5-11 and lose nine games by seven points or less. This team has so much promise, but definitely needs some adjustments and good luck on their side this upcoming season. 

Los Angeles Chargers

Wants

1. Quarterback

2. Offensive line

3. Interior defensive line

4. Running back

5. Cornerback

Needs

1. Find a quarterback for the future

2. Figure out the Running back situation

3. Get some reliable protection for the quarterback of the future

4. Find ways to stay healthy, especially key players

5. Get more help for the interior of the line and linebackers

Quarterback

The Chargers has only known one quarterback for the last 14 seasons, Phillip Rivers. He came to the Chargers during that 2004 draft when Manning, Rivers, Roethlisberger all went in the top 15 picks and became cornerstones for the franchises respectively. Unlike the other two quarterbacks in the draft who both had two world title, Rivers has none and has only been to the AFC champion game once in his career. He had multiple losing seasons and only made the playoffs six out of the fourteen seasons he was the starter. Rivers has many personal accomplishments and is among one of the best quarterbacks of recent memory. Yet, he will forever be one of the quarterbacks remembered for not winning the big game. The Chargers are now on the path for the next franchise QB in hopes the next one will be able to deliver on what eluded Rivers all these years, a championship. They can either try free agents and get a player like Ryan Tannehill, Marcus Mariota or Teddy Bridgewater. All these guys are experienced, have solid building blocks, and have shown that with weapons can win you games. The only question is do they want to experience or a young inexperienced rookie that they can groom and have for another 12- 15 years down the line. My best guess is to do a bit of both. They can get a solid veteran now like Ryan Tannehill to compete while they have a championship window. While also drafting a quarterback like Justin Herbert or Jordan Love. The rookie can sit back, study and observe what it takes to be a starting quarterback in this league for a year or two then take over the reins and be a guy that can play for years to come for the Chargers and hopefully extend their playoff window.

Running back

This situation for the Chargers is a bit clearer cut then most will see. If a team wants to win the big games nowadays you need three key pieces. First, you need a franchise quarterback that can produce in the clutch. Second, you need a defense that can limit your opponent and get you stops and turnovers in key moments of a game. Lastly, you need a solid running back or running backs that can grind out the 4th quarter, keep defenses off balance in the passing game, and also protect the quarterback when they need more time for a good deep shot. When the Chargers look at what they had the last few seasons, you can’t get much better than the trio of Gordon, Ekeler and Jackson. Gordon is a three-down back that can rush inside and outside the tackles, be a receiving threat out the backfield and in the slot, while also being able to hold his own in pass blocking situations. They need to pay that man. Ekeler is the definition of a receiving back to the fullest. He is able to run crisp, clean routes against anyone on the defense and still can give you a change of pace rushing out the backfield. Jackson is a purer runner that you can hammer inside and outside the tackles and he will produce. He has receiving ability but, he is more of a runner than a catcher.  Those three can and should be the backs moving forward, as long as the Chargers pay the man his money he deserves. If not, they will be looking at a more commit rotation with a young back like JK Dobbins or Clyde Edwards-Helaire. 

Find ways to stay healthy, especially key players

If there was one thing that hurt the Chargers more than anything else last season it was their inability to stay healthy as a whole. They had too many injuries to key pieces on the defense and offensive line. The offensive tackles fluctuated game to game, and you couldn’t be sure whether or not you would get a solid line in back to back weeks. The defense was without two of their top three players for most of the year in Joey Bosa and Derwin James. They caused havoc for opposing quarterbacks whether it be pressure on the rush or coverage in the secondary. Those two were sorely missed during the teams’ first nine and eleven games respectively. Not having these key pieces also could have led to the record number of losses by single digits. They lost two games from goal-line stands by the opposing defenses because they couldn’t rush for one yard. They lost a few others because they gave up too many yards on the final drives in the games and allowed the opponent to set up game-winning field goals in the final seconds. If the Chargers can find a way to stay healthy next year, they can ensure fielding the best possible lineups to change some of the losses into wins. 

-By: Darren Braxton

Writer/Interviewer

Draft History: Chargers draft some all-time greats and an all-time bust

The top draft picks in Chargers history are included among the game’s great sack artists, rushers, passers, and receivers. However, the team also has made arguable the worst draft blunder in NFL history. (Note, as with the Giants, I will be staying away from the whole Eli Manning-Philip Rivers situation in 2004.)

BEST

10. Earl Faison, DE (Round 1, Pick 7 in 1961) - Faison spent five full seasons with San Diego, and he was an AFL All-Star in all five seasons and an All-Pro four times. A member of San Diego’s “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line, Faison suffered from knee injuries and didn’t help himself by holding out several times. A trade to Houston was nullified, so the former AFL Rookie of the Year toyed with the idea of playing in the CFL before returning to the Chargers. He was released after three games in 1966 and signed with the expansion Dolphins. Faison was traded to the Broncos the following season, but returned to Miami and was cut. He unsuccessfully sued the Dolphins for breach of contract and never played in the NFL again. 

9. John Hadl, QB (Round 3, Pick 24 in 1962) - Hadl ranks third in team history with 26,938 yards and 201 touchdowns in 11 seasons. After splitting quarterback duties with former Packer and Lion Tobin Rote, Hadl took over in 1964 and earned five Pro Bowl/AFL All-Star selections in San Diego. He played in three AFL Championship Games, including the 1963 title, and led the league in passing yards three times and touchdowns twice. Most of his success came on passes to Hall of Famer Lance Alworth, who went to seven straight All-Star Games and was selected to six straight All-Pro teams.

8. Keenan Allen, WR (Round 3, Pick 76 in 2013) - Allen ranks fifth in team history with 524 receptions, sixth with 6,405 yards and tied for 10th with 34 touchdowns. He has been selected to the past three Pro Bowls and has four seasons with at least 1,000 yards. Allen missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his ACL in the first game, but he won Comeback Player of the Year in 2017 after totaling 102 catches, a career-high 1,393 yards, and six scores. 

7. Eric Weddle, S (Round 2, Pick 37 in 2007) - Weddle spent the first nine of his 13 seasons in San Diego. The three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro registered 19 interceptions, including a league-leading seven in 2011. Weddle ranks third in team history with 683 solo tackles, and he has 851 stops overall. He also had 70 passes defended, 6½ sacks and a fumble return for a touchdown. After three seasons with the Ravens and one with the Rams, Weddle retired after the 2019 season.

6. Ernie “Big Cat” Ladd, DT (Round 15, Pick 119 in 1961) - Ladd was a teammate of Faison’s on the “Fearsome Foursome,” and was also part of that nullified trade to Houston (which was quashed due to tampering by Oilers owner Bud Adams). He also appeared in four AFL All-Star Games and was a three-time Pro Bowler in five seasons on the West Coast. At 6-foot-9, Ladd was the largest player in professional football, and he spent his offseasons as a professional wrestler. Despite Ladd and Faison being a part of four AFL Championship Games and a title in 1963, both had contentious relationships with head coach and general manager Sid Gillman. After the Houston trade failed, Ladd signed with the Oilers, then went to the Chiefs and formed a super tackle tandem with 6-foot-7 future Hall of Famer Buck Buchanan. 

5. Fred Dean, DE (Round 2, Pick 33 in 1975) - Dean spent the first six full seasons of his Hall of Fame career in San Diego, earning three Pro Bowl and two All-Pro selections. He was a part of the “Bruise Brothers” front four of the late 1970s along with Gary “Big Hands” Johnson, Louie Kelcher and Leroy Jones that led San Diego to a pair of AFC West titles. Although sack records were not kept until 1982, Chargers records show Dean with 15½ in 1978 and 10½ in 1980. After disputes with management, Dean was traded to San Francisco, where he won two Super Bowls. 

4. Kellen Winslow, TE (Round 1, Pick 13 in 1979) - The Hall of Famer ranks third among Chargers in receptions (541) and fifth in yards (6,741) and touchdowns (45). He is a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time All-Pro who led the league in catches twice and also had three 1,000-yard seasons. Winslow’s success, along with that of Cleveland’s Ozzie Newsome, was a catalyst for the expanding roles of tight ends in NFL offenses. 

3. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB (Round 1, Pick 5 in 2001) - L. T. is the all-time Chargers leader with 12,490 yards and 138 touchdowns in nine seasons. He had his first of eight 1,000-yard seasons in 2001, when he made the All-Rookie Team with 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns. Tomlinson was named MVP and Offensive Player of the Year in 2006 after posting an NFL-high 1,815 yards and a league-record 28 touchdowns. The five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro was also a threat out of the backfield, ranking fourth with 530 receptions and 12th with 3,955 yards. Tomlinson was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2006 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017. 

2. Dan Fouts, QB (Round 3, Pick 64 in 1973) - Before his broadcasting days, Fouts had a Hall of Fame career that thrived under the direction of Don “Air” Coryell and his high-powered passing scheme. Fouts was a six-time Pro Bowler and a two-time All-Pro who led the league in passing yards four times and touchdowns twice. Dan Marino set the NFL’s single-season passing record with 5,084 yards in 1984, but before that, Fouts set the mark three straight years from 1979-81. He earned All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 1982 after a league-leading 2,883 yards and 17 touchdowns in the strike-shortened season. The Chargers went to back-to-back AFC Championship Games in the early 1980s, but never reached the Super Bowl.

1. Junior Seau, LB (Round 1, Pick 5 in 1990) - The Hall of Famer was the heart and soul of the Chargers defense for 13 years, and he made the Pro Bowl in all but his rookie season. Seau was also a six-time All-Pro and the 1994 NFL Man of the Year Award winner. He had a sack in San Diego’s loss to San Francisco in Super Bowl XXIX. Seau tops the Chargers franchise with 1,480 tackles and 1,287 solo stops. He was traded in 2003 and spent seven more seasons with the Dolphins and Patriots before retiring in 2009. After his death by suicide in 2012, Seau became the prime case for the NFL to look into the effects of concussions on its players. 

WORST

10. Rufus Guthrie, G (Round 2, Pick 10 in 1963) - The former player for Georgia Tech (then called the Georgia Institute of Technology) was the second guard taken by the Chargers in 1963 (Syracuse’s Walt Sweeney was drafted second overall). He suffered a broken ankle on the kickoff of his first preseason game and never played again. Guthrie had a successful career in real estate before he died from brain cancer in 2000. 

9. Keith Kinderman, FB (Round 3, Pick 18 in 1965) - Another player whose career was shortened by injury, Kinderman was a dual-threat back from Florida State. As a rookie, he played on the 1963 AFL champion Chargers, totaling 14 yards rushing and 52 receiving in the title game against the Bills. He played just 15 games in three seasons before a torn ACL and a dislocated elbow led to his retirement. Kindleman went to law school and was an attorney in Florida before his death in 2018. 

8. Nick Rassas, S (Round 2, Pick 16 in 1966) - Known for his hard-hitting style at Notre Dame, Rassas chose the NFL expansion Atlanta Falcons (who picked him 17th) rather than the Chargers. He had an interception and two fumbles recovered in 27 games with Atlanta, but lasted only three seasons in the league. 

7. Leon Burns, RB (Round 1, Pick 13 in 1971) - Burns ran for 223 yards and a touchdown as a rookie, but after a year the St. Louis Cardinals, he was out of the NFL. The 1970 All-American at Long Beach State was shot to death on December 22, 1984, in a case that is still unsolved. 

6. Bob Ferguson, FB (Round 1, Pick 8 in 1962) - Ferguson was the Maxwell Award winner as the best all-around player in college football in 1961, and he spent his entire Ohio State career never being tackled for a loss. He chose the Steelers (who took him fifth in the NFL Draft), but lasted just two seasons before retiring due to a head injury. For many years, Ferguson worked as a youth counselor in Columbus, Ohio. He died from complications of diabetes in 2004. 

5. Don Davis, DT (Round 1, Pick 7 in 1966) - The former Los Angeles State defensive tackle was drafted in the second round (pick 25) in the NFL Draft and chose the Giants. After starting 13 of 14 games as a rookie, Davis suffered a knee injury and never played professionally again. 

4. Johnny Rodgers, WR (Round 1, Pick 25 in 1973) - The 1972 Heisman Trophy winner and two-time All-American at Nebraska chose to sign a lucrative contract with the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes. He proved to be worth the money, earning the Most Outstanding Rookie Award in 1973, winning the Jeff Russell Memorial Trophy as Eastern Division MVP twice and being a CFL or Eastern Division All-Star in each of his four seasons. The “Ordinary Superstar” also won a Grey Cup championship with Montreal in 1974. Rodgers returned to San Diego for the 1977 season, but a hamstring injury cost him five games that year, and a knee injury sustained during practice in 1978 ended his career. 

3. William “Bo” Matthews, RB (Round 1, Pick 2 in 1974) - Matthews came highly touted out of Colorado, but totaled just 1,566 yards in seven NFL seasons. He set career highs with 328 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie with the Chargers, but never consistently found playing time. He spent 1½ seasons with the Giants and three games with the Dolphins, but last played in 1981. 

2. Tommories “Mossy” Cade, S (Round 1, Pick 6 in 1984) - The former All-American with Texas did not sign with the Chargers and instead spent 1985 with the Memphis Showboats of the USFL. After the league folded, Cade went to Green Bay where he posted five interceptions and a sack in two seasons with the Packers. He spent 15 months in jail after a jury in Wisconsin found him guilty of second-degree sexual assault against his aunt through marriage in 1987. After his release, the Vikings signed Cade, but public outcry led to his release. 

1. Ryan Leaf, QB (Round 1, Pick 2 in 1998) - No one else could have occupied this spot, considering Leaf would make most lists as one of the Top 10 biggest draft busts in NFL history. After the Colts took Peyton Manning in 1998, the Chargers made the easy choice and selected Leaf, who said he was “looking forward to a 15-year career, a couple of trips to the Super Bowl and a parade through downtown San Diego.” Instead, the Chargers got a guy who yawned during his initial press conference, skipped the rookie symposium, played golf instead of watching game film, feuded with coaches and teammates and played poorly for two seasons (and missed a third with a shoulder injury). His totals with San Diego: 3,172 yards, 13 touchdowns, 33 interceptions, and a 4-14 record. Leaf’s problems with alcohol, drugs, and authority are also well-documented. He had at least four arrests for controlled substance charges, plus others for burglary, fraud, and theft. Thankfully, Leaf has gotten clean and is now an analyst for ESPN’s college football coverage, as well as an ambassador for the Transcend Recovery sober living community. 

Next: Carolina Panthers

-By: Kevin Rakas

Writer