Los Angeles Chargers

First season in Los Angeles (1960)

The Chargers were established with seven other American Football League teams in 1959. They began AFL play in Los Angeles the following year in 1960. The Chargers' original owner was hotel heir Barron Hilton, son of Hilton Hotels founder Conrad Hilton. According to the official website of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Barron Hilton agreed after his general manager, Frank Leahy, picked the Chargers name when he purchased an AFL franchise for Los Angeles: "I liked it because they were yelling ‘charge’ and sounding the bugle at Dodger Stadium and at USC games."

San Diego (1961–2016)

In December 1960, the Chargers considered a move to Atlanta or Seattle, but ultimately moved to San Diego’s Balboa Stadium in January 1961, due to financial losses in Los Angeles. The city upgraded the stadium, increasing its seating capacity to 34,000. The Chargers’ defense was strong, recording forty-nine interceptions in their first season in San Diego. They won the AFL title against the Boston Patriots in 1963, but lost in the 1964 and 1965 championships to the Buffalo Bills.

In the late 1960s, the Chargers faced ownership changes and financial difficulties. In 1966, Hilton sold the team to a group of executives, including Eugene V. Klein and Sam Schulman. The team moved to San Diego Stadium in 1967 and continued to perform well, though not winning any championships. By 1970, they joined the NFL after the AFL-NFL merger. The team struggled in the early 1970s, with coaching changes and a decline in performance, finishing with a 2–11–1 record in 1973.

The Chargers hired Don Coryell as head coach in 1978, introducing the "Air Coryell" offense, a pass-heavy strategy that revitalized the team's performance With quarterback Dan Fouts, the Chargers led the league in passing yards from 1978 to 1983 and again in 1985. The team made four consecutive playoff appearances from 1979 to 1982, winning three AFC West division titles. Despite regular-season success, the Chargers faced challenges in the playoffs, including the "Epic in Miami" game in 1981.

The 1990s brought further changes, including the hiring of former Georgia Tech coach Bobby Ross as head coach in 1992. The Chargers lead by defensive players Junior Seau, Rodney Harrison and Leslie O'Neal won the AFC West title in 1992 and reached the Super Bowl for the first time in 1994, losing to the San Francisco 49ers 49–26.

Marty Schottenheimer was named as Chargers head coach before the 2002 season. He led the team to an 8–8 record in his first season at the helm. The team dropped to a 4–12 mark in the 2003 season. The Chargers drafted Eli Manning with the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. However, Manning did not want to play for the Chargers resulting in a trade with the Giants for quarterback Philip Rivers, who was their first round pick. The Chargers improved to a 12–4 record in the 2004 season. They won the AFC West. Their stint in the postseason was short as they dropped the Wild Card Round to the Jets. The Chargers went 9–7 but missed the postseason in the 2005 season. Rivers took over as starting quarterback in the 2006 season. Rivers went on to be the franchise quarterback for the Chargers. In the 2006 season, the Chargers won the division and went 14–2, the best record in franchise history lead by Philip Rivers, running back LaDainian Tomlinson, fullback Lorenzo Neal, tight end Antonio Gates and linebacker Shawne Merriman. The team was eliminated in the Divisional Round by the New England Patriots. Despite the historic season for the Chargers, the team fired Schottenheimer.

Before the 2007 season, the Chargers named former Oakland Raiders coach Norv Turner as head coach. In his first season at the helm, Turner led the Chargers to an AFC West title. The team defeated the Titans in the Wild Card Round and the Colts in the Divisional Round before falling to the Patriots in the AFC Championship. The team regressed to an 8–8 record in the 2008 season. However, they still won the division. They defeated the Colts in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Steelers in the Divisional Round. In the 2009 season, the Chargers went 13–3 and won the division again. The success was short-lived in the postseason with a 17–14 loss in the Divisional Round to the Jets. In the 2010 season, the Chargers went 9–7 but missed the postseason for the first time under Turner. Five of the Chargers' seven losses were within one possession. In the 2011 season, the team went 8–8 and missed the postseason. In the 2012 season, the team went 7–9, missed the postseason, and fired Turner after the season.

Before the 2013 season, the Chargers hired former Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Mike McCoy to be their new head coach. In the 2013 season, the Chargers went 9–7 and made the playoffs despite a 3rd-place finish in the AFC West. The Chargers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 27–10 in the Wild Card Round before falling to the Denver Broncos 24–17 in the Divisional Round. In the 2014 season, the Chargers went 9–7 again but missed the postseason. In the 2015 season, the Chargers went 4–12. In the 2016 season, the Chargers went 5–11 and missed the post season for the third consecutive season. The team parted ways with Mike McCoy as head coach after the season. In 2017, the Chargers moved back to Los Angeles.

Return to Los Angeles (2017–present)

Chargers owner Dean Spanos announced the move in a letter to the city of San Diego posted to the team's official site on January 12, 2017. The team, which would pay the NFL a $645 million relocation fee announced it would be returning to their birthplace in Los Angeles starting with the 2017 season at Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, California, despite the stadium's 30,000 seating capacity being well below the 50,000 minimum that the NFL set for temporary homes. The home of Major League Soccer's LA Galaxy served as the Chargers' temporary home field until they joined the Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood starting with the 2020 NFL season. The Chargers became the second former San Diego professional sports franchise to move to Los Angeles, after the Clippers in 1984.

One week after the move from San Diego to Los Angeles was announced, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the other NFL owners were "angered" by the decision, and that "the NFL wants the Chargers to move back, though nobody believes that possibility is realistic."

Anthony Lynn years (2017–2020)

On January 13, the Chargers fired defensive coordinator John Pagano. It took the team one week to find a replacement for Pagano, as they hired Gus Bradley on January 20. Bradley was formerly the head coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and before landing that head coaching job was the defensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. The Chargers also announced they had hired Anthony Lynn to be their next head coach.

In their first game back in Los Angeles at StubHub Center included an announced attendance was just over 25,000, divided "around 50/50" between fans of the Chargers and the visiting Miami Dolphins. After the poor response, the NFL was reportedly considering ways to move the Chargers back to San Diego, although that possibility was considered unlikely. The league officially denied that such discussions were happening, as San Diego was stated not to have a usable stadium and that the Spanos family refuses to consider going back to the city; the league did acknowledge that a vote of the owners could change the situation. The team had a 9–7 record, but missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive time.

After a 12–4 regular season record, the Chargers qualified for the 2018 playoffs. The team defeated the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the Divisional round. However, Chargers' attendance problems continued into their second season. For instance, there were so many fans of the visiting Kansas City Chiefs at the Chargers' 2018 home opener that USA Today remarked it "was essentially a Chiefs home game". In December 2018, a Los Angeles Times columnist asked if the Chargers would receive a parade in the city if they were to win the Super Bowl.

The team's struggles to draw fans reportedly led them to lower their initial revenue goal when they moved into the new stadium from $400 million to $150 million, and caused some owners to doubt the Chargers' viability in Los Angeles. Beyond low attendance, the Chargers receive only 18.75% of season ticket revenues through 2040, contributing to the reduced goal.

In the 2019 season, the Chargers had a poor 5–11 record, and were swept by their division. Rivers entered free agency and ended his long tenure as the Chargers' starting quarterback.

On September 13, 2020, Tyrod Taylor became the starting quarterback for the Chargers and the first new quarterback to start since Philip Rivers' starting debut on December 31, 2005. He led them to win 16–13 due to a missed field goal by the Bengals. On September 20, 2020, Taylor suffered a punctured lung while receiving a pain-killing injection, forcing rookie quarterback Justin Herbert to start. Herbert led the team to a narrow loss against the Chiefs, 23–20, in his first start. In week 13, the Chargers lost to the Patriots, 45–0, in the worst blowout loss in team history. The season concluded in a 38–21 win over the Chiefs. Justin Herbert broke multiple rookie records throughout the season, but despite his record-breaking season, the Chargers finished the season with a 7–9 record. At the conclusion of the 2020 season, the organization announced that Lynn was fired as head coach.

Brandon Staley years (2021–2023)

The Chargers signed Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley to become their new head coach on January 17, 2021. Brandon Staley brought in Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi, grandson of Vince Lombardi, as the new offensive coordinator, and Renaldo Hill, Broncos defensive backs coach, as their new defensive coordinator.

In the 2021 season, the Chargers' record improved to 9–8 (with an extra 17th game added to the NFL regular season). Herbert broke numerous sophomore year records, but despite his and the rest of the team's efforts, the Chargers missed the playoffs in a week 18 win-or-tie-or-go-home overtime loss to the Raiders.

On February 3, 2022, the Chargers hired Vikings special teams coordinator Ryan Ficken. In 2022, the Chargers announced the location of a new headquarters in El Segundo, California. The Chargers finished the 2022 NFL season with a 10–7 record and the 5th seed in the AFC. They lost in the Wild Card round of the playoffs to the Jacksonville Jaguars after blowing a 27–0 lead in the game. Despite the playoff loss, the Chargers were alleviating their attendance issues, with their average attendance during the 2022 season being in the top third of the league for a second consecutive year.

On January 17, 2023, the Chargers fired offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterbacks coach Shane Day. The Chargers hired former Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore to be their new offensive coordinator on January 31. Chargers defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill unexpectedly left the team on February 20 to join the Miami Dolphins as their secondary coach and passing game coordinator, with the vacancy being filled by the Chargers defensive backs coach Derrick Ansley on the same day.

On December 15, 2023, head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired, one day after a 63–21 primetime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers finished the remainder of the season with interim head coach Giff Smith. The Chargers finished out the 2023 with a 5–12 record.

Jim Harbaugh (2024–present)

The Chargers signed former Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh on January 24, 2024. Harbaugh served as the coach for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014. He went to Super Bowl XLVII with the 49ers where he lost to the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Michigan football coach from 2015 to 2024. There, he had a total record of 86–25 while reaching the college football playoffs three times, as well as winning the 2024 National Championship. Before his coaching career, Jim Harbaugh was a quarterback for the Chargers from 1999 to 2000.

The Chargers finished the 2024 season with an improved record of 11–6, securing the 5th seed in the AFC. They lost to the Houston Texans in the Wild Card round of the 2024–25 NFL playoffs. In 2025, the Chargers had a similar fate, again finishing 11-6 and losing in the wild card round of the 2025-26 NFL playoffs, though this time to the New England Patriots.

Oakland/Los Angeles/Las Vegas Raiders

The Chargers–Raiders rivalry dates to the 1963 season, when the Raiders defeated the heavily favored Chargers twice, both come-from-behind fourth quarter victories. One of the most memorable games between these teams was the "Holy Roller" game in 1978, in which the Raiders intentionally fumbled in order to score a touchdown. This somewhat controversial play resulted in a rule change the following season. On November 22, 1982, the Raiders hosted their first Monday Night football game in Los Angeles against the Chargers. The Chargers led the game in the 1st half 24–0 until the Raiders scored 28 unanswered points in the second half to win 28–24. On January 10, 2022, the Raiders defeated the Chargers in overtime, 35–32. The winning field goal was unnecessary for the Raiders' playoff chances, and if the game had ended in a tie, both teams would have made the playoffs. With the field goal, the Chargers were eliminated. The Raiders lead the series 69–60–2 as of the end of the 2024 season, including having won the only playoff game between the two teams, the 1980 AFC Championship game.

The Chargers defeated the Raiders 31–14 despite a left-hand injury to Justin Herbert, who returned after missing a series. Running back Kamani Vidal contributed a 59-yard running touchdown, and the defence was effective against the Raiders' run game. While coaching decisions were questioned, Jim Harbaugh's run-oriented game was successful at the end, keeping the Chargers playoff hopes alive.

Kansas City Chiefs

As of the 2024 season, the Kansas City Chiefs lead 70–58–1, but the Chargers won the only playoff meeting between the two teams, a 1992 AFC wild card game.

Denver Broncos

Broncos lead 75–55–1 as of the end of the 2024 season, including having won the only playoff meeting between the two teams, a 2013 AFC Divisional game.

Los Angeles Rams

Initially, the Los Angeles Raiders and Rams were considered to be competing in the "Battle of Los Angeles" during the Raiders' tenure in Los Angeles from 1982 to 1994. However, the rivalry ended as the Rams moved to St. Louis and the Raiders returned to Oakland in the mid-1990s. The Raiders unsuccessfully attempted to move back to Los Angeles in 2015 after a failed joint stadium project with the then-San Diego Chargers. The intercity rivalry was revived only with the Chargers' move from San Diego in 2016, following the Rams' return to Los Angeles in 2016. Hostility erupted between the two clubs during a 2017 joint scrimmage at the Rams' training camp in Irvine, California. Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman and Chargers receiver Keenan Allen initiated an altercation and multiple players rushed into the skirmish, creating an uproar from the crowd. After the hiring of coach Sean McVay in 2017, the Rams managed to win back-to-back division titles, including an appearance in Super Bowl LIII during McVay's second season as head coach. The Chargers experienced their own playoff success by boasting a 12–4 record in 2018 and making an appearance in the 2018 AFC divisional round but lost to the New England Patriots. The Rams won the first regular season matchup in Los Angeles between the two teams in Week 3 of the 2018 season. The Chargers would win the next meeting in Week 17 of the 2022 season, the first matchup between the two teams at their new stadium. As of the 2023 season, the Rams lead the all-time series 7–6.

The Chargers and Rams do have an extensive history of playing each other in the preseason, going back to the first AFL-NFL interleague preseason games in 1967. Until the Rams' departure to St. Louis, the Chargers and Rams played in the preseason all but four years (1975, 1976, 1985, and 1989) in that period. The preseason series continued with the Rams in St. Louis through 2008, playing nine times out of fourteen seasons. The teams would not meet in the preseason again until 2017, when both teams were back in Los Angeles, and would resume the preseason series annually in 2021 (with the 2020 game, along with all preseason games, being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

Season-by-season record

The table below shows the five most recent NFL regular season records along with their respective finish in the NFL playoffs. The Los Angeles Chargers appeared in the postseason twice in the five last seasons. Recent notable honors with current members of the Los Angeles Chargers include NFL Rookie of the Year in 2016 for Joey Bosa (Defensive) and in 2020 for Justin Herbert (Offensive) along with NFL Comeback Player of the Year for Keenan Allen in 2017.