The Los Angeles Chargers have had some good players dating back to their days in San Diego. The team's first season was back in 1960, but the Chargers still have not won a Super Bowl championship yet.
Even though they yet to win the NFL's ultimate prize, the Chargers have still boast very good teams in their history, led by some superstar players. The Chargers have had 10 players inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for example.
Let's break down the five greatest Chargers of all time.
5. Dan Fouts
At the time of his retirement, Dan Fouts was one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history. Fouts was selected with the 64th overall pick in the 1973 draft. He was a six-time Pro Bowler and a three-time First Team All-Pro.
Fouts' best season was in 1981, when he threw for 4,802 yards and 33 touchdowns. Two years in a row, Fouts led the Chargers to the AFC Championship game. When he retired, he had thrown for 43,040 yards which was second at the time, only bested by Fran Tarkenton. In 1993, Fouts was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
4. Antonio Gates
It's amazing that Antonio Gates even made it to the NFL, much less had the career that he did with the Chargers. Gates chose to play basketball in college so he ended up with the Kent State Golden Flashes. After leaving school, he was signed by the Chargers as an undrafted free agent following the 2003 season.
Ultimately, Gates became the franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches. His best season was in 2009 when he had 1,157 yards and eight touchdowns. During the 2004 season, he had a career-best 13 touchdown passes. Whenever Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was looking for someone to reliably bring in the ball in the red zone, Gates was his go-to guy.
3. Philip Rivers
If Philip Rivers would have led the Chargers to a Super Bowl victory, he would easily be No. 1 on this list. Rivers came to the Chargers in a draft-day trade that sent Eli Manning to the New York Giants. He didn't start a game in his first two years with the Chargers, eventually taking over in 2006.
The Chargers made the playoffs in six seasons under Rivers, reaching the AFC Championship once and posting a 5-6 postseason record. Rivers holds the majority of the Chargers' quarterback records and now is at the helm of the Indianapolis Colts.
2. LaDainian Tomlinson
LaDainian Tomlinson was selected with the fifth-overall pick in the 2001 draft and the selection paid major dividends for the Chargers. As a rookie, Tomlinson stormed into the league, rushing for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns. That season was impressive, but everyone remembers Tomlinson for what he did in 2006.
In that season, he rushed 348 times for 1,815 yards and 28 touchdowns. He also caught 56 passes for 508 yards and three additional scores. Tomlinson holds the Chargers record for rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns and yards from scrimmage and ranks in the top 10 of all-time in the league in many of these categories as well.
After leaving the Chargers, Tomlinson played for the New York Jets for two seasons and then retired. Tomlinson was elected to both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame.
1. Junior Seau
The Chargers defense is synonymous with Junior Seau. Seau grew up in Oceanside California and played his college ball at USC before being selected fifth-overall by San Diego in the 1990 NFL Draft. Seau played with the Chargers from 1990 until 2003 and anchored the defense.
During his time with the team, Seau missed just eight games. He had 1,478 tackles, 47 sacks, and 15 interceptions in the course of his Chargers career. Off the field he was also a superstar, involving himself in charity work in the San Diego area. For his charitable efforts, he was NFL Man of the Year in 2004.
Tragically, Seau took his own life in 2012. In 2015 he was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a bittersweet honor for the Chargers' greatest player of all time.
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