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Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers came into existence in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League.

The stay in Los Angeles was brief, as they moved south to San Diego the season after, but this was one of the most successful teams in the AFL.  They would make the playoff five times in the upstart league, winning the AFL Title in 1963.  

The Chargers would be part of the AFL-NFL merger, and while they have had their share of excellent players, they have only made the Super Bowl once, a losing effort in 1994.  In 2016, the Chargers moved back to Los Angeles.

This list is up to the end of the 2022 season.

Note: Football lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.

20. Earl Faison

20. Earl Faison
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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The professional career of Earl Faison might have been relatively brief, but his impact was undeniable.
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21. Paul Lowe

21. Paul Lowe
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Paul Lowe was undrafted in 1959, but the San Francisco 49ers gave him a shot in training camp.  Lowe did not make the team, but in 1960, the American Football League opened, and many more opportunities opened up.  The Halfback from Oregon State had a new outlet for his skills, and he made the most of it.
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22. Nick Hardwick

22. Nick Hardwick
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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A veteran of 136 NFL Games, Nick Hardwick started every single one of them, at Center for the San Diego Chargers.
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23. Jamal Williams

23. Jamal Williams
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A 1998 Supplemental Draft Pick from Oklahoma State, Jamal Williams had a slow start in his pro career.
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24. Wes Chandler

24. Wes Chandler
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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After a few seasons with the New Orleans Saints, Wes Chandler was traded early in the 1981 Season, where he found a home in the potent Chargers offense.  Chandler completed the year with 857 Yards in 12 Games, which foreshadowed his spectacular 1982 year.
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25. Gill Byrd

25. Gill Byrd
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In terms of versatility, Gill Byrd is one of the greatest Defensive Backs in Chargers’ history.
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26. Fred Dean

26. Fred Dean
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Fred Dean was one of the best defensive players in Louisiana Tech history, and his work landed him a Second Round Pick with the San Diego Chargers in 1975.
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27. Ed White

27. Ed White
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A three-time Pro Bowl Selection with the Minnesota Vikings, Ed White was traded to the San Diego Chargers, where the Offensive Lineman proved to be one of the best assets Quarterback Dan Fouts ever had.
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28. Don Macek

28. Don Macek
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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The San Diego Chargers chose Boston College’s Offensive Guard, Don Macek, with their 1976 Second Round Pick, and while he never blossomed into a Pro Bowl, there was unquestioned value with this selection.
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29. Louie Kelcher

29. Louie Kelcher
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Louie Kelcher was a huge player for his day as a 6’ 5” Defensive Tackle, but the star at SMU was able to use his mass to the best of his ability.
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30. Rodney Harrison

30. Rodney Harrison
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Rodney Harrison played his college ball at Western Illinois, Rodney Harrison saw little action as a rookie in 1994 with San Diego.  That did not change until his third year, where he became the Chargers’ starting Strong Safety.
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31. Ernie Ladd

31. Ernie Ladd
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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“The Big Cat” Ernie Ladd, was one of the star defensive players at Grambling, and standing at 6’ 9” he was one of the most imposing players in the gridiron ever saw.
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32. Woodrow Lowe

32. Woodrow Lowe
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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A three-time All-American at Alabama, Woodrow Lowe played his entire pro career with the San Diego Chargers, the team that took the Linebacker in the Fifth Round on the 1976 Draft.
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33. Speedy Duncan

33. Speedy Duncan
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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When you have a nickname of "Speedy," we think it is safe to state that the recipient in question is fleet of foot.
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34. Anthony Miller

34. Anthony Miller
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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A dual-sport star at Tennessee (Track & Field), Anthony Miller was the recipient of San Diego’s First Round Pick in 1988.
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35. Kenny Graham

35. Kenny Graham
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Kenny Graham made his professional debut with the San Diego Chargers, the season after the Bolts won their lone AFL Championship.  Graham might have missed out on a title, but the Washington State Cougar would become one of the most productive defensive players for San Diego for the rest of the 1960s.
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36. Melvin Ingram

36. Melvin Ingram
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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Melvin Ingram was a First Round Pick in 2012 who was used as a backup Linebacker in his rookie year.  A torn ACL in his second training camp kept him out most of the year, but he returned and methodically worked his way into one of the better defensive players of the year.
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37. Keith Lincoln

37. Keith Lincoln
Top 50 Los Angeles Chargers
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From Washington State, Keith Lincoln elected to sign with the San Diego Chargers, as opposed to the Buffalo Bills, who chose him in the 1961 Draft.
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38. Dick Harris

38. Dick Harris
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One of the most unlikely defensive stars in the early days of the Chargers was Dick Harris, an undrafted player from McNeese State.
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