The San Diego Chargers are coming up on their 50th season this fall, and the team is doing many things to celebrate and acknowledge its history.
Recently the club posted a list of the greatest Chargers players. Fans are invited to vote to select the 50 players. The fan vote will be split with a vote of franchise Hall of Fame members.
Here are the candidates:
QUARTERBACKS (Pick 3)
Dan Fouts - John Hadl - Stan Humphries - Jack Kemp - Philip Rivers - Tobin Rote
RUNNING BACKS (Pick 6)
Gary Anderson - Marion Butts - Ronnie Harmon - Keith Lincoln - Paul Lowe - Natrone Means - Chuck Muncie - Lorenzo Neal - Dick Post - LaDainian Tomlinson - Don Woods
WIDE RECEIVERS (Pick 5)
Lance Alworth - Wes Chandler - Gary Garrison - John Jefferson - Charlie Joiner - Tony Martin - Anthony Miller - Don Norton
TIGHT ENDS (Pick 2)
Willie Frazier - Antonio Gates - Dave Kocourek - Jacque MacKinnon - Kellen Winslow
OFFENSIVE TACKLES (Pick 3)
Marcus McNeill - Ron Mix - Terry Owens - Vaughn Parker - Billy Shields - Russ Washington - Ernie Wright
OFFENSIVE GUARDS (Pick 3)
Kris Dielman - Ira Gordon - Walt Sweeney - Ed White - Doug Wilkerson
CENTERS (Pick 2)
Sam Gruneisen - Courtney Hall - Nick Hardwick - Don Macek
DEFENSIVE ENDS (Pick 3)
Fred Dean - Steve DeLong - Earl Faison - Lee Williams - Leslie O'Neal
DEFENSIVE TACKLES (Pick 3)
Reuben Davis - Gary Johnson - Louie Kelcher - Ernie Ladd - Shawn Lee - Jamal Williams - Wilbur Young
LINEBACKERS (Pick 5)
Chuck Allen - Frank Buncom - Donnie Edwards - Woodrow Lowe - Shawne Merriman - Rick Redman - Junior Seau - Billy Ray Smith
DEFENSIVE BACKS (Pick 5)
Willie Buchanon - Gill Byrd - Glen Edwards - Kenny Graham - Dwayne Harper - Dick Harris - Rodney Harrison - Quentin Jammer - Charlie McNeil - Mike Williams
KICKERS (Pick 2)
Rolf Benirschke - John Carney - Nate Kaeding
KICK RETURNERS (Pick 2)
Andre Coleman - Speedy Duncan - Mike Fuller - Darrien Gordon - Lionel James - Ronny Jenkins - Darren Sproles
PUNTERS (Pick 2)
Darren Bennett - Paul McGuire - Rolf Mojsiejenko - Dennis Partee - Mike Scifres
SPECIAL TEAMERS (Pick 2)
Hank Bauer - David Binn - Kassim Osgood - Bob Zeman
COACHES (Pick 2)
Don Coryell - Sid Gillman - Bobby Ross
Here is who I would select:
QUARTERBACKS (3)
Dan Fouts - John Hadl - Philip Rivers
Fouts is the obvious, a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer. Hadl was the Chargers' all-time leader in many passing categories until Fouts obliterated the record book. And Rivers has the been the QB for three consecutive division-winning teams in addition to setting a few club records.
RUNNING BACKS (6)
Marion Butts - Keith Lincoln - Paul Lowe - Natrone Means - Chuck Muncie - LaDainian Tomlinson
Running back was a harder split for me. Tomlinson needs no explanation. Lowe was the franchise's all-time leading rusher before LT, a mark that stood since the 1960s. Lincoln played alongside Lowe in many of those AFL championship games and was an All-Star several times. Chuck Muncie gets my nod as an integral part of the record-setting Air Coryell offense in the early 1980s. My final RB pick was hard. Marion Butts and Natrone Means were very similar. Somewhat short careers and comparable statistics. I'll go with Means because of his vital role on the Super Bowl team.
WIDE RECEIVERS (5)
Lance Alworth - Wes Chandler - Gary Garrison - John Jefferson - Charlie Joiner
Another tough group to pick from. Alworth as easy for WR as Fouts at QB. Charlie Joiner retired as the NFL's all-time leading receiver. Jefferson established many marks to start his career in San Diego, and outside of Alworth is maybe the most popular receiver the Chargers ever had. Chandler took JJ's spot on the field after Jefferson was dealt away. Garrison was a longtime wideout who essentially took the place of Alworth, and finished right behind "Bambi" in many Chargers statistical categories at the completion of his career.
TIGHT ENDS (2)
Antonio Gates - Kellen Winslow
No explanation needed for these two picks.
OFFENSIVE TACKLES (3)
Ron Mix - Russ Washington - Ernie Wright
Mix is a member of the Hall of Fame. Washington was a Pro Bowl selection several times. Wright gets my nod on long service and a handful of All-Star honors. Give it a few years and I'd probably replace him with McNeill.
OFFENSIVE GUARDS (3)
Walt Sweeney - Ed White - Doug Wilkerson
Sweeney is probably the most decorated Chargers lineman outside of Mix, garnering several All-Star and Pro Bowl nods. White was a Pro Bowl regular upon arriving in San Diego and played for the Chargers throughout the Air Coryell era. Wilkerson had a long career and was selected to the Pro Bowl three times.
CENTERS (2)
Nick Hardwick - Don Macek
Going with Hardwick, a current Charger and one-time Pro Bowler, and Macek, who had a long career mostly as Fouts' center.
DEFENSIVE ENDS (3)
Fred Dean - Earl Faison - Leslie O'Neal
Dean is a Hall of Famer. Faison was a perennial All-Star on the great '60s teams, and O'Neal made six Pro Bowls on his way to being the Chargers all-time sack leader.
DEFENSIVE TACKLES (3)
Gary Johnson - Ernie Ladd - Jamal Williams
"Big Hands" Johnson, a four-time Pro Bowler, was a lone bright spot on a porous defense during the Coryell years. Ladd was an All-Star on many of the great Sid Gillman teams. Williams has made three Pro Bowls thus far as a Charger. Extremely hard to leave off Kelcher, who also earned several Pro Bowl nods. Probably the most outstanding player I left off my entire list.
LINEBACKERS (Pick 5)
Chuck Allen - Frank Buncom - Shawne Merriman - Junior Seau - Billy Ray Smith
All five LB's have All-Star or All-Pro honors, highlighted by future Hall of Famer Seau.
DEFENSIVE BACKS (5)
Gill Byrd - Kenny Graham - Dick Harris - Rodney Harrison - Charlie McNeil
Again, five players with honors during time as a Charger.
KICKERS (2)
Rolf Benirschke - John Carney
Carney is the all-time leading scorer in franchise history. Although Kaeding has been a more accurate kicker, I'm taking Benirschke instead due in large part to what he overcame to keep playing.
KICK RETURNERS (2)
Speedy Duncan - Darren Sproles
Several similar candidates here. Going with someone old and new. As far as the others, James was known as much or more for offense. Gordon seemed to have fumble issues too.
PUNTERS (2)
Darren Bennett - Mike Scifres
Bennett was on the All-Decade Team for the 1990s, and Scifres is arguably the best punter in the NFL.
SPECIAL TEAMERS (2)
David Binn - Kassim Osgood
Hard to break down special teamers, as each player had different contributions. Taking Binn for very long service, and Osgood for two Pro Bowl nods (and knowing special teamers didn't get recognized during Bauer era).
COACHES (2)
Don Coryell - Sid Gillman
Two coaches that revolutionized the game of football. Gillman is a Hall of Famer, and Coryell should be.
Keywords: San Diego Chargers
