The Chargers were established in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL).¹⁾

The team initially played in Los Angeles for one season before relocating to San Diego in 1961.²⁾

The franchise’s original owner, hotel magnate Barron Hilton, chose the name “Chargers” after being inspired by the charging sound of bugles at USC football games.³⁾

He was a pioneer in modern passing offenses and played a key role in shaping today’s NFL passing game.⁴⁾

The Chargers won their only AFL Championship before the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.⁵⁾

The team played in San Diego for more than five decades before returning to Los Angeles in 2017.⁶⁾

Their first home in San Diego was Balboa Stadium before moving to San Diego Stadium (later known as Qualcomm Stadium).⁷⁾

The Chargers were famous for their explosive passing attack under coach Don Coryell in the late 1970s and early 1980s.⁸⁾

Quarterback Dan Fouts became the first player in NFL history to throw for over 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons (1979-1981).⁹⁾

Hall of Famer Junior Seau was one of the most beloved Chargers, playing 13 seasons with the team from 1990 to 2002.¹⁰⁾

The Chargers made their only Super Bowl appearance after the 1994 season but lost to the San Francisco 49ers, 49-26.¹¹⁾

Quarterback Stan Humphries led the Chargers to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.¹²⁾

The Chargers’ bolt is one of the most recognizable logos in the NFL.¹³⁾

From 1983 to 1991, the Chargers missed the playoffs for nine straight seasons.¹⁴⁾

After the Super Bowl run, the team struggled for several years before bouncing back in the 2000s.¹⁵⁾

LaDainian Tomlinson set the single-season touchdown record with 31 touchdowns in 2006.¹⁶⁾

Tomlinson won the NFL MVP Award that year, leading the team to a 14-2 record.¹⁷⁾

Tomlinson reached 100 career touchdowns faster than any player in NFL history.¹⁸⁾

He remains the Chargers' all-time leading rusher with 12,490 yards.¹⁹⁾

In 2015, Tomlinson’s number was retired by the franchise.²⁰⁾

Rivers played for the Chargers from 2004 to 2019, becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns.²¹⁾

The quarterback made eight Pro Bowl appearances during his Chargers career.²²⁾

Former tight end Antonio Gates holds the NFL record for most touchdowns by a tight end with 116.²³⁾

The Chargers won the AFC West division title with a 13-3 record but lost in the divisional round.²⁴⁾

Philip Rivers started 240 consecutive games, one of the longest streaks for a quarterback.²⁵⁾

The Chargers announced their return to Los Angeles after 56 years in San Diego.²⁶⁾

They played at a soccer stadium (now Dignity Health Sports Park) for three seasons before moving to SoFi Stadium.²⁷⁾

Since 2020, the Chargers and Rams have shared the state-of-the-art SoFi Stadium in Inglewood.²⁸⁾

Drafted in 2020, quarterback Justin Herbert set multiple rookie passing records.²⁹⁾

He threw for 31 touchdowns in 2020, the most ever by a rookie.³⁰⁾

One of the fiercest rivalries in the NFL, dating back to their AFL days.³¹⁾

The matchups often feature high-scoring games and playoff implications.³²⁾

The rivalry has intensified in recent years with both teams competing for AFC West dominance.³³⁾

While the Rams and Chargers both play in LA, they haven’t yet developed a major rivalry.³⁴⁾

A controversial 1978 game against the Raiders where a fumble led to a last-second Raiders win.³⁵⁾

The Chargers introduced player names on the back of jerseys in 1960.³⁶⁾

In the 1981 AFC Championship game (“The Epic in Miami”), the Chargers lost 41-38 to the Dolphins in overtime.³⁷⁾

Nate Kaeding hit a 57-yard field goal, a franchise record.³⁸⁾

The Chargers once sacked an opposing quarterback 11 times in a single game.³⁹⁾

In 2010, the Chargers had the top-ranked offense and defense but missed the playoffs due to poor special teams.⁴⁰⁾

The Chargers’ alternate powder blue uniforms are considered one of the best in the NFL.⁴¹⁾

The Chargers were the first AFL team to introduce colored facemasks in the 1960s.⁴²⁾

The Chargers' fan rallying cry is “Bolt Up!”⁴³⁾

With young stars like Justin Herbert and a revamped roster, the Chargers are poised for success in the coming years.⁴⁴⁾