San Diego Chargers 50th Anniversary Team

The San Diego Chargers announced their 50th anniversary team in 2009 to honor the top players and coaches in the history of the National Football League team. The Chargers were founded in 1959 as part of the American Football League.^[1] The anniversary team included 53 players and coaches selected from 103 nominees.^[2][3][4] The Chargers originally stated that only 50 members would be selected;^[4] the group is still sometimes referred to as the 50 Greatest Chargers.^[5][6] Online voting by fans accounted for 50 percent of the voting results; votes from Chargers Hall of Famers and five members of the local media made up for the other 50 percent. Over 400,000 votes were cast online. Dan Fouts and LaDainian Tomlinson received the first and second most votes, respectively.^[3][7] The team features eight Pro Football Hall of Fame members and 11 players that were active on the 2009 Chargers team.^[8][9]

Key

Key

*	Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
Years	Years with the San Diego Chargers

Offense

Position	Player	Years	Ref
QB	Fouts, DanDan Fouts*	1973–1987	[7]
	Hadl, JohnJohn Hadl	1962–1972	[2]
	Humphries, StanStan Humphries	1992–1997	[2]
	Rivers, PhilipPhilip Rivers	2004–present	[2]
RB	Lincoln, KeithKeith Lincoln	1961–1966, 1968	[2]
	Lowe, PaulPaul Lowe	1960–1968	[2]
	Means, NatroneNatrone Means	1993–1995, 1998–1999	[2]
	Muncie, ChuckChuck Muncie	1980–1984	[2]
	Tomlinson, LaDainianLaDainian Tomlinson	2001–2009	[10]
WR	Alworth, LanceLance Alworth*	1962–1970	[2]
	Chandler, WesWes Chandler	1981–1987	[2]
	Garrison, GaryGary Garrison	1966–1976	[2]
	Jefferson, JohnJohn Jefferson	1978–1980	[2]
	Joiner, CharlieCharlie Joiner*	1976–1986	[2]
TE	Gates, AntonioAntonio Gates	2003–present	[2]
	Winslow, KellenKellen Winslow*	1979–1987	[2]
T	Mix, RonRon Mix*	1960–1969	[2]
	Washington, RussRuss Washington	1968–1982	[2]
	Wright, ErnieErnie Wright	1960–1967, 1972	[2]
G	Dielman, KrisKris Dielman	2003–2011	[5]
	Sweeney, WaltWalt Sweeney	1963–1970	[2]
	White, EdEd White	1978–1985	[2]
	Wilkerson, DougDoug Wilkerson	1971–1984	[2]
C	Hardwick, NickNick Hardwick	2004–2014	[2]
	Macek, DonDon Macek	1976–1989	[2]

Defense

Position	Player	Years	Ref
DE	Dean, FredFred Dean*	1975–1981	[2]
	Faison, EarlEarl Faison	1961–1966	[2]
	O'Neal, LeslieLeslie O'Neal	1986, 1988–1995	[2]
DT	Johnson, GaryGary Johnson	1975–1984	[2]
	Kelcher, LouieLouie Kelcher	1975–1983	[2]
	Ladd, ErnieErnie Ladd	1961–1965	[2]
	Williams, JamalJamal Williams	1998–2009	[2]
LB	Allen, ChuckChuck Allen	1961–1969	[2]
	Lowe, WoodrowWoodrow Lowe	1976–1986	[2]
	Merriman, ShawneShawne Merriman	2005–2010	[2]
	Seau, JuniorJunior Seau*	1990–2002	[2][6]
	Smith, Billy RayBilly Ray Smith	1983–1992	[2]
DB	Buchanon, WillieWillie Buchanon	1979–1982	[2]
	Byrd, GillGill Byrd	1983–1992	[2]
	Harrison, RodneyRodney Harrison	1994–2002	[2]
	Jammer, QuentinQuentin Jammer	2002–2012	[2]
	McNeil, CharlieCharlie McNeil	1960–1964	[2]

Special teams

Position	Players	Years	Ref
K	Benirschke, RolfRolf Benirschke	1977–1986	[2]
	Carney, JohnJohn Carney	1990–2000	[2]
KR	Duncan, SpeedySpeedy Duncan	1964–1970	[2]
	Sproles, DarrenDarren Sproles	2005–2010	[2]
P	Bennett, DarrenDarren Bennett	1995–2003	[2]
	Scifres, MikeMike Scifres	2003–2015	[2]
ST	Bauer, HankHank Bauer	1977–1982	[2]
	Osgood, KassimKassim Osgood	2003–2009	[2]

Coaches

Coach	Years	Ref
Coryell, DonDon Coryell	1978–1986	[11]
Gillman, SidSid Gillman*	1960–1969, 1971	[2]
Ross, BobbyBobby Ross	1992–1996	[2]

See also

• List of San Diego Chargers 40th Anniversary Team
• List of San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame inductees

References

1. "Celebration announced for 50th season of Chargers football". Chargers.com. The San Diego Chargers. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011.
2. "Chargers 50th anniversary team". The Press-Enterprise. Archived from the original on August 26, 2011.
3. Canepa, Nick (November 16, 2009). "Greatest Chargers list rings true". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Archived from the original on October 12, 2011.
4. "Fans to select 50 greatest Chargers". Chargers.com. The San Diego Chargers. Archived from the original on October 13, 2011.
5. Davis, Nate (March 1, 2012). "Chargers Pro Bowl LG Kris Dielman retires". USA Today. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
6. Wilson, Aaron (August 24, 2011). "Chargers to induct Junior Seau to team Hall of Fame". Scout.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
7. Bigelow, Bill (November 28, 2009). "Fouts chosen as all-time 'Greatest Charger'". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
8. Williamson, Bill (November 17, 2009). "Chargers announce their all-time team". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
9. "Fouts, Tomlinson top vote-getters for All-Time Greatest Chargers". Chargers.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
10. Williamson, Bill (February 22, 2010). "Chargers put out classy statement on LT". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.
11. Williamson, Bill (July 1, 2010). "Coryell should be in the Hall of Fame". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on March 3, 2012.