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San Diego Chargers Team History

San Diego Chargers
Chargers Primary Logo
Chargers Alternate Logo
Chargers Wordmark Logo

Established
1960

City
Los Angeles - San Diego - Los Angeles

League History
1970 - Present / National Football League
1960 - 1970 / American Football League

Team History
2017 - Present / Los Angeles Chargers
1961 - 2016 / San Diego Chargers
1960 / Los Angeles Chargers

Nickname
Chargers - The San Diego Chargers are a professional National Football League (NFL) football team. The team has been around since 1960 when they were founded as part of the American Football League. But how did they get their name? Let’s explore the origins of this iconic NFL nickname.

As it turns out, there is an interesting story behind why this California-based franchise was named “Chargers.” It all began with Barron Hilton, who owned and operated a hotel chain called Hilton Hotels in 1959 when he purchased a controlling interest in the newly formed AFL expansion team that would eventually become known as San Diego Chargers. He wanted to develop something catchy for his new venture, so he went with “Chargers” because it sounded strong – just like his hotels!

Additionally, some believe that Hilton chose this particular name because of its association with electricity – one of his company's core products at that time - making it particularly fitting for an electric city like San Diego! And while we may never know precisely why Barron picked "Chargers" over other possible names such as "Cougars" or "Aztecs," one thing is sure: The moniker has undoubtedly stood the test of time and continues to be associated strongly today, not only within sports circles but also across many different industries worldwide!

Championship
Super Bowl 0
AFL Championships 1
1963

Stadium
2020 – Present / SoFi Stadium
2018 – 2019 / Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park (during construction)
2019 / Dignity Health Sports Park
2017 – 2018 / StubHub Center

*San Diego*
1998 - 2016 / Qualcomm Stadium
1981 - 1997 / Jack Murphy Stadium
1967 - 1980 / San Diego Stadium
1961 - 1966 / Balboa Stadium

*Los Angeles*
1960 / Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum

Owner
1994 - Present / Dean Spanos
1984 - 1993 / Alex Spanos
1966 - 1984 / Gene Klein and Sam Schulman
1960 - 1966 / Barron Hilton

  • 1961
  • 1967
  • 1984
  • 2003
  • 2017
  • Chargers Defense 1961

    Move to San Diego

    The Chargers spent only one season in L.A. before moving to San Diego in 1961. Hilton moved the team 75 miles south to San Diego. From 1961 to 1966 their home field in San Diego was Balboa Stadium in Balboa Park.
    See Full Story
  • Murphy Stadium

    New Stadium “The Murpy”

    In the early 1960s, local sportswriter Jack Murphy, the brother of New York Mets broadcaster Bob Murphy, began to build up support for a multi-purpose stadium for San Diego. In November 1965, a $27 million bond was passed allowing construction to begin on a stadium, which was designed in the Brutalist style. Construction on the stadium began one month later. ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • Dean Spanos_new owner

    Alex Spanos New Owner

    In 1984, Spanos bought 60% of the San Diego Chargers from majority owner Eugene Klein for $48.3 million. Over the next 10 years, he bought out the shares of several small co-owners, bringing his control of the team to 97%. He remains partnered with retired San Diego restaurateur George Pernicano, an investor in the team since a few years after ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • Eli Manning - San Diego Charger 2003

    Drafting Eli Manning

    Although the Chargers were tied with three other teams for the worst record of the 2003 NFL season, the league’s tie-breaking system gave San Diego the number one pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. With this pick, the Chargers selected quarterback Eli Manning from the University of Mississippi despite Manning’s stated desire to play elsewhere. New York Giants general manager ...
    Read More
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  • Chargers Leave for LA

    Chargers Heading Back to LA

    On January 12, 2017, ESPN reported that the Chargers were going to announce a move back to Los Angeles for the 2017 season. Chargers owner Dean Spanos officially announced a return to Los Angeles on January 12, 2017.
    See Full Story

Who is the greatest San Diego Chargers?
  • Add your greatest player

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History of the Chargers

The San Diego Chargers, now known as the Los Angeles Chargers, have been one of the most successful and beloved teams in professional football for more than five decades. The team was founded in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) and has since become an integral part of NFL history. Throughout its storied past, the Chargers, previously known as the San Diego Chargers, have won two AFL championships (1963 & 1965) and made 15 playoff appearances, including four Super Bowl trips from XXIX to XXXII.

The early years were marked by success on both sides of the ball for the San Diego Chargers, previously known as the Los Angeles Chargers. They had strong rushing attacks led by Hall-of-Famers Lance Alworth, Keith Lincoln, and Paul Lowe, while also boasting a formidable defense anchored by Ernie Ladd, Earl Faison, and Ron Mix—all three members are enshrined at Canton’s Pro Football Hall Of Fame. In addition to their championship runs during this period, several players from these teams went on to be named All-Pros or Pro Bowl selections: Charlie Joiner (wide receiver), Dan Fouts (quarterback), Kellen Winslow Sr. (tight end), all achieved individual accolades throughout their careers with SDCCU Stadium serving as a home field until 2003 when Qualcomm Stadium opened up for business.

During this era under head coach Don Coryell, the franchise enjoyed some memorable moments such as “Air Coryell,” which featured a high-powered passing offense that set records across the league. However, after his departure, things started to go downhill quickly, with numerous losing seasons leading into the 1990s. New ownership brought hope back to the San Diego Chargers, previously known as the Los Angeles Chargers, but it never fully materialized due mainly to poor personnel decisions and coaching hires, coupled with a lack of stability within the organization itself. This resulted in them missing the playoffs 11 consecutive times between 2000 and 2010 before finally making a return in 2011. The return was short-lived, as they only lasted one year before another streak began without any postseason berths until the 2018 season when they managed to make the wild card round game against the Baltimore Ravens, ending a long drought but ultimately falling short of victory there too. Thus, another disappointing campaign overall, despite having a solid core of talent in place, like quarterback Philip Rivers, who had been a mainstay for the entire decade-plus, and running back Melvin Gordon III, who emerged as a star over the course of a few years, giving fans something to cheer about even if the results weren't always what they wanted from them each Sunday afternoon/evening.
Despite all the ups and downs along the way spanning nearly six decades now, the San Diego Chargers, now known as the Los Angeles Chargers, remain a beloved institution in many cities around the country, thanks to a loyal fan base that continues to show support regardless of how the team performs on any given year. So here's hoping for a brighter future that lies ahead not just for the city itself but also for the Los Angeles Chargers and their fans.




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Retired Number
14 / Dan Fouts
19 / Lance Alworth
21 / LaDainian Tomlinson
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