Editor’s note: As part of NFL’s Greatest Quarterback, fans will decide the best quarterback in team, division, conference and league history.
John Hadl: Hadl started on and off for the Chargers from 1962 to 1964 until he took over full time in 1965. He was a four-time AFL All-Star, two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro. He benefited from playing with one of the league’s best receivers, Lance Alworth, during his time in San Diego.
Hadl is third on the Chargers’ all-time passing list and second in touchdowns. Hadl was not known for his accuracy, completing just 50.4 percent of his career passes with more interceptions than touchdowns.
Dan Fouts: Fouts is a Pro Football Hall of Fame member who leads the Chargers in career passing yards, touchdowns, completions, attempts, wins and countless other stats. He was a six-time Pro Bowler who led the league in passing for four straight years, from 1979 to 1982.
The Chargers never made the Super Bowl under Fouts, but he led them to the playoffs four straight seasons, where he compiled a 3-4 postseason record. Fouts’ stats blew up in 1978 with the addition of head coach Don Coryell, who installed his “Air Coryell” offense, which concentrated on deep passing.
Stan Humphries: Humphries led the Chargers to their first and only Super Bowl during the 1994 season. Humphries was drafted in the sixth round by the Redskins in 1988 and was traded to the Chargers in 1992 after an injury to John Friesz.
Humphries accumulated a 47-29 record with the Chargers and may best be known for an NFL-record 99-yard pass against the Seahawks during the 1994 season. The Chargers drafted Ryan Leaf in 1998, which ended Humphries’ run with San Diego.
Philip Rivers: Rivers was drafted No. 4 overall by the Giants in 2004 before immediately getting traded to the Chargers for Eli Manning. For years, it looked like the Chargers got the better end of the deal, until Manning led the Giants to two Super Bowl victories in 2007 and 2011.
Rivers sat for two years behind Drew Brees before leading the Chargers to a 14-2 record in his first year under center. Rivers led the Chargers to four straight playoff berths from 2006 to 2009 and has accumulated a 3-4 postseason record. Rivers led the league in passing in 2010 with 4,710 yards. He’s a four-time Pro Bowler.
