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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)