NFL franchise all-time power rankings: Which organization comes out on top?

24. Los Angeles Chargers

The Los Angeles Chargers are more well-known for their previous location in San Diego. There, they built a long history of … well … mediocre play. They’ve had some really good players. Dan Fouts and Lance Alworth were amazing in the franchise's early years. The two Hall of Famers were some of the best at their position in a time when offense was driven through the running back. 

The success of the Chargers came immediately. They went to the AFL Championship in five of their first six years in existence. They looked like one of the most successful teams coming in during the AFL-NFL merger. It didn’t work out because the Chargers failed to win games after the merger. They didn’t see success until 1979 when the Chargers returned to the playoffs after a 14-year hiatus. They won the division four years in a row, and they even made the Super Bowl in 1994, losing to the stacked San Francisco 49ers. 

The Chargers have had very little playoff success over its franchise history. However, things looked like they were changing. Ladainiain Tomlinson was drafted with the pick they got in the Michael Vick trade. They eventually got Phillip Rivers when Drew Brees’ injury history scared them (no comment on that decision). They kept the Chargers relevant at a time when Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning were dominating the league. 

The Chargers' legacy will always be one of great offense. They’ve had some defensive stars like Shawn Merriman and Joey Bosa, but they are most well-known for players like Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen. With Herbert under center, the Chargers hope to start a new era of success. Maybe with Jim Harbaugh as head coach, the Chargers can get themselves a better legacy.