The Chargers have had some elite teams over their years in San Diego and Los Angeles, but have yet to win the ultimate prize. Winning a Super Bowl is not easy, and the Bolts have only had a handful of opportunities to do so since coming over from the AFL to the NFL.
The Chargers dominated the AFC West in the 2000s. Because they didn't make much noise in the postseason due to Tom Brady, it goes unnoticed. Now that the Kansas City Chiefs own the AFC West, those old Chargers teams don't get recognized for their elite play.
We will break down the teams for you. Let's take a look at the 10 greatest Chargers teams of all time.
Honorable mentions: 1979, 1982 (shortened season – Dan Fouts was elite), 1992, and 2013.
10. 1963 Chargers
The 1963 Chargers count. Just because they were not in the NFL at the time doesn't mean they weren't the same organization. San Diego beat out the Oakland Raiders for the best record in the AFL West and ended up dominating the AFL Championship by the score of 51-10 over the Boston Patriots. Tobin Rote and NFL Hall of Famer Lance Alworth formed an elite duo. This team had 11 All-AFL players.
This team comes in at No. 10 all-time in franchise history.
9. 2008 Chargers
In 2008, San Diego ended 8-8 in the regular season. They used an incredible playoff performance from Darren Sproles to defeat Payton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts in the Wild Card round for the second straight season. In the game against the Colts, LaDainian Tomlinson did not play much, dealing with a hamstring injury, and Sproles stepped up in the biggest game of his career. Sproles scored two touchdowns, including the game-winning 22-yard run.
However, the Bolts would lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers a week later, 35-24. This team was talented, but they underachieved in the regular season.
8. 2004 Chargers
Ah, yes, the year the Chargers drafted Eli Manning. Instead of that happening, he was traded to the New York Giants for Philip Rivers. Rivers joined a QB room with Drew Brees, Doug Flutie, and Cleo Lemon. Marty Schottenheimer won NFL Coach of the Year with a 12-4 record, but the Chargers fell short to the New York Jets 20-17 in overtime in the Wild Card Round.
LT and Antonio Gates were two of the four All-Pros, but this team was not as talented as some of the teams that would follow.
7. 2018 Chargers
The 2018 Los Angeles Chargers have been the only real contender since moving away from San Diego. They finished 12-4 and had a stacked roster that contained three All-Pro players (five positions in total) with seven Pro Bowlers. Philip Rivers' final playoff win for the Chargers came against rookie Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round, 23-17. The next week, Rivers lost to Tom Brady and the Pats for the final time, 41-28. Rivers was never able to defeat Brady in the playoffs.
6. 1980 Chargers
Head coach Don “Air” Coryell had the Bolts striking in the early 80's. Quarterback Dan Fouts passed for 4,715 yards, passing his own NFL record at the time. He was dropping dimes to Kellen Winslow, John Jefferson, and Charlie Joiner, who each had over 1,000 receiving yards. No pair of teammates had ever done that.
San Diego won the AFC West with an 11-5 record. They took down the Buffalo Bills in the Divisional Round 20-14, but lost to the Oakland Raiders in the AFC Championship 34-27, almost completing a lengthy comeback.
San Diego had eight All-Pro (five first-team) players that season.
The 1980 Bolts were elite, but they were even better a year later.
5. 2007 Chargers
Head coach Norv Turner took over for Schottenheimer after he was fired following one of their greatest seasons in franchise history. Turner and the Bolts won the AFC West once again after starting the season 1-3. San Diego took on the Tennessee Titans in the Wild Card and won 17-6. In the Divisional Round, the Bolts took down Manning and the Colts 28-24. As you could guess, the Chargers battled with the Patriots in the AFC Championship game but lost 21-12. Another brutal playoff loss.
The Chargers have not been back to the AFC Championship since.
Despite the close Super Bowl appearance, SD actually had a more talented roster in 2009, where more playoff troubles surfaced.
4. 2009 Chargers
In 2009, the Chargers won the AFC West for the fourth consecutive season with a 13-3 record, winning their last 11 regular-season games. This team had the talent to win it all. They had three All-Pro players and six Pro Bowlers.
This season ended an era, most notably as Tomlinson would depart for the Jets after the season. Ironically, the Jets were the team to take down the Bolts in the Divisional Round. After securing a bye, San Diego hosted Mark Sanchez and the Jets but lost 17-14. Kicker Nate Kaeding (known for his historical missed field goals for the SD) missed three of them in the game.
The Chargers have not won the division since, with only two playoff wins (2013, 2018).
3. 1981 Chargers
This team had what it took to win it all after a heartbreak the season before against their rivals in Oakland. Because the Chargers finished 10-6 in 1981, they did not have home-field advantage in the postseason. That hurt them.
The Chargers traveled to Miami to take on the Dolphins, where they won in a shootout, 41-38 in overtime. 79 total points in a playoff game is crazy. That game is known as the “Epic in Miami.” Fouts and the Bolts stormed out to a 24-0 lead; however, both teams entered the fourth quarter tied at 31. Just as the Chargers attempted to do a season prior, the Dolphins tried to come back and successfully did so. Although a field goal in overtime won it for San Diego.
In the AFC Championship game, they traveled to Cincinnati in what is known as the “Freezer Bowl.” The Bengals obliterated the Chargers 27-7 in what was the coldest game of all time in terms of wind chill. It was reported that the temperature reached an insane -59 degrees. There was nothing the boys from sunny San Diego could do.
This team comes in as the third-best in Chargers history.
2. 1994 Chargers
In 1994, the Bolts found their way to the Super Bowl. They took on the mighty San Francisco 49ers, led by Steve Young. That was a massive moment for Young, as that win allowed him to be removed from Joe Montana's shadow.
The Chargers finished 11-5 in the regular season and used some luck on their side to advance to the big game. The Chargers lost 49-26 and had no answer for the 49ers in Miami. Linebacker Junior Seau was a First-Team All-Pro player.
Despite making it to the Super Bowl for the only time in existence, the 1994 team was not the best Chargers team of all time.
1. 2006 Chargers
The 2006 team was by far the most talented group of players on one roster in Chargers history. The potential for that team was through the roof. They had six All-Pros and 11 Pro Bowlers led by running back LaDainian Tomlinson. LT broke the NFL rushing record with 26 rushing touchdowns and 31 total that season.
This was the first season without Drew Brees. Brees did not re-sign with the Bolts after his injury and later signed with Sean Payton and the New Orleans Saints. Brees would go on to win a Super Bowl in 2010.
The Chargers looked to Philip Rivers, and in his first season as the signal caller, he led the team to a 14-2 record, winning the AFC West and earning a first-round bye as the No. 1 team in the AFC. In the Divisional Round, the Chargers fell to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots by the score of 24-21. That loss was unacceptable as the Bolts even picked off Brady three times.
This loss is the biggest failure in franchise history, even more so than blowing a 27-0 lead to Trevor Lawrence.
