The 1969 San Diego Chargers season was the team's tenth as a franchise and their ninth in San Diego. It began with the team trying to improve on their 9–5 record in 1968, as this would be the last season for the team with a winning record until 1978. It was the last American Football League season before the AFL–NFL merger. It was also Sid Gillman's final season as the team's head coach, as he resigned due to poor health in the middle of the season, and Charlie Waller took over for the last five games.
1969 San Diego Chargers season | |
---|---|
Owner | Eugene V. Klein |
General manager | Sid Gillman |
Head coach | Sid Gillman (4-5) Charlie Waller (4-1) |
Home field | San Diego Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 8–6 |
Division place | 3rd Western Division |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
All-AFL | 5[1]
|
AFL All-Stars | |
Offseason
editNFL/AFL draft
edit1969 San Diego Chargers draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 9 | Marty Domres | Quarterback | Columbia | |
1 | 18 | Bob Babich | Linebacker | Miami (Ohio) | |
2 | 44 | Ron Sayers | Running back | Omaha | |
3 | 70 | Gene Ferguson | Tackle | Norfolk State | |
5 | 122 | Harry Orszulak | Flanker | Pittsburgh Panthers | |
6 | 147 | Terry Swarn | Flanker | Colorado State | |
8 | 200 | Craig Cotton | Tight end | Youngstown State | Played for the Chargers in 1975 after missing the roster in 1969 |
9 | 226 | Joe Williams | Defensive back | Southern | |
10 | 251 | David Arnold | Guard | Northwestern | Graduated in 1967; drafted from the Texarkana Titans of the Texas Football League |
11 | 278 | Willie Norwood | Tight end | Alcorn State | |
12 | 304 | Jim White | Running back | Arkansas-Pine Bluff | |
13 | 330 | Mike Simpson | Defensive back | Houston | |
14 | 356 | Bill Ackman | Defensive tackle | New Mexico State | |
15 | 382 | Charlie Jarvis | Running back | Army | |
16 | 408 | Willie Davenport | Flanker | Southern | |
17 | 434 | Larry Rentz | Defensive back | Florida | |
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career |
Roster
editQuarterbacks (QB)
Running backs (RB)
Wide receivers (WR)
Tight ends (TE) |
Offensive linemen (OL)
Defensive linemen (DL)
|
Linebackers (LB)
Defensive backs (DB)
|
Rookies in italics
|
Regular season
editSchedule
editWeek | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 14 | Kansas City Chiefs | L 9–27 | 0–1 | San Diego Stadium | 47,988 | Recap |
2 | September 21 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 20–34 | 0–2 | Nippert Stadium | 26,243 | Recap |
3 | September 28 | New York Jets | W 34–27 | 1–2 | San Diego Stadium | 54,042 | Recap |
4 | October 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 21–14 | 2–2 | San Diego Stadium | 52,748 | Recap |
5 | October 11 | at Miami Dolphins | W 21–14 | 3–2 | Miami Orange Bowl | 34,585 | Recap |
6 | October 19 | at Boston Patriots | W 13–10 | 4–2 | Alumni Stadium | 18,346 | Recap |
7 | October 26 | Oakland Raiders | L 12–24 | 4–3 | San Diego Stadium | 54,008 | Recap |
8 | November 2 | at Denver Broncos | L 0–13 | 4–4 | Mile High Stadium | 45,511 | Recap |
9 | November 9 | at Kansas City Chiefs | L 3–27 | 4–5 | Municipal Stadium | 51,104 | Recap |
10 | November 16 | at Oakland Raiders | L 16–21 | 4–6 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 54,372 | Recap |
11 | November 23 | Denver Broncos | W 45–24 | 5–6 | San Diego Stadium | 34,664 | Recap |
12 | November 27 | at Houston Oilers | W 21–17 | 6–6 | Houston Astrodome | 40,065 | Recap |
13 | December 7 | Boston Patriots | W 28–18 | 7–6 | San Diego Stadium | 33,146 | Recap |
14 | December 14 | Buffalo Bills | W 45–6 | 8–6 | San Diego Stadium | 47,582 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Game summaries
editWeek 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 3 | 10 | 7 | 7 | 27 |
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 14
- Game time: 1:05 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 70 °F (21.1 °C), relative humidity 74%, wind 8 mph
- Game attendance: 47,988
- Referee: Bob Finley
- Box score
Game information | ||
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|
Week 2: at Cincinnati Bengals
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 20 |
Bengals | 7 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 34 |
at Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: September 21
- Game weather: 62 °F (16.7 °C), relative humidity 82%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 26,243
- Box score
Game information | ||
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|
Week 3: vs. New York Jets
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 0 | 10 | 3 | 14 | 27 |
Chargers | 7 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: September 28
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 78%, wind 10 mph
- Game attendance: 54,042
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 4: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bengals | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 4
- Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 65%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 52,748
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 5: at Miami Dolphins
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
Dolphins | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
at Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- Date: October 11
- Game weather: 79 °F (26.1 °C), relative humidity 70%, wind 9 mph
- Game attendance: 34,585
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 6: at Boston Patriots
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 13 |
Patriots | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
at Alumni Stadium, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
- Date: October 19
- Game time: 1:30 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 55 °F (12.8 °C), relative humidity 47%, wind 19 mph
- Game attendance: 18,346
- Referee: John McDonough
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 7: vs. Oakland Raiders
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
Chargers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 12 |
Game information | ||
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Week 8: at Denver Broncos
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Broncos | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 2
- Game weather: 29 °F (−1.7 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 6 mph, wind chill 24
- Game attendance: 45,511
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 9: at Kansas City Chiefs
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
Game information | ||
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Week 10: at Oakland Raiders
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 16 |
Raiders | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 21 |
at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: November 16
- Game time: 1:06 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 58 °F (14.4 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 12 mph
- Game attendance: 54,372
- Referee: Jack Reader
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 11: vs. Denver Broncos
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 7 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 24 |
Chargers | 14 | 3 | 21 | 7 | 45 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: November 23
- Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 53%, wind 7 mph
- Game attendance: 34,664
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 12: at Houston Oilers
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
Oilers | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
- Date: November 27
- Game weather: N/A (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 40,065
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Week 13: vs. Boston Patriots
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Patriots | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 18 |
Chargers | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
Game information | ||
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Week 14: vs. Buffalo Bills
editQuarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bills | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Chargers | 10 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 45 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: December 14
- Game weather: 57 °F (13.9 °C), relative humidity 51%, wind 6 mph
- Game attendance: 47,582
- Box score
Game information | ||
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Standings
editAFL Western Division | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
Oakland Raiders | 12 | 1 | 1 | .923 | 7–1 | 377 | 242 | W6 | |
Kansas City Chiefs | 11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 5–3 | 359 | 177 | L1 | |
San Diego Chargers | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 2–6 | 288 | 276 | W4 | |
Denver Broncos | 5 | 8 | 1 | .385 | 3–5 | 297 | 344 | W1 | |
Cincinnati Bengals | 4 | 9 | 1 | .308 | 3–5 | 280 | 367 | L5 |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings of the AFL.
References
edit- ^ "1969 AFL All-Pros". pro-football-reference.com.
- ^ "1969 AFL All-Stars". pro-football-reference.com.