Gary Garrison stayed close to home after starring at San Diego State, choosing the local Chargers over the Philadelphia Eagles after being selected in both the AFL and NFL drafts. He joined the team for the 1966 season and immediately carved out a role as a serious threat in Sid Gillman’s innovative passing attack, catching 46 passes for 642 yards as a rookie.

Over the next decade, he became one of the Chargers’ steadiest receivers, finishing among the league’s top ten in receiving yards in seven different seasons and posting two 1,000-yard campaigns. His best years came in 1968 (1,103 yards and 10 touchdowns) and 1970 (1,006 yards and 12 scores). Nicknamed “The Ghost” for the way he slipped into open spaces and ran precise routes, Garrison averaged nearly 19 yards per catch across his Chargers career. Gillman praised his work ethic, acceleration, and ability to create separation, calling him one of the finest receivers he had coached.

Garrison’s time in San Diego ended after the 1976 season, and he tallied 404 receptions for 7,533 yards and 58 touchdowns. He earned an AFL All-Star selection and four Pro Bowl nods (1968, 1970–1972), serving as a reliable complement to stars like Lance Alworth before becoming a primary target himself. Even as the offense evolved in the early 1970s, he continued producing big plays until injuries and age slowed him in his final years with the club.

The franchise later inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1985, recognizing his long stretch of consistent production as a local product who helped define the Chargers’ passing game for more than a decade.