Head coach Mike McCoy Owner Alex Spanos Record 5–11 | General manager Tom Telesco Home field Qualcomm Stadium Division place 4th AFC West | |
The 2016 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 47th season in the National Football League, the 57th overall, the 56th and final season in San Diego, and the fourth under head coach Mike McCoy. However, due to the age of Qualcomm Stadium, there was speculation that the team would be relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise played their first season in 1960, following a decision by the NFL to allow the St. Louis Rams to move to the Greater Los Angeles Area with a provision that the Chargers may relocate to Los Angeles as well. On January 4, 2016, the team filed a relocation application to the NFL along with the Rams and the Oakland Raiders and released a statement and a video on the team's website. The league made their decision in a special meeting on January 12; the league approved the Chargers to relocate if they chose to share Los Angeles Entertainment Center with the Rams (the Raiders-Chargers proposal did not receive enough support from the league as a whole to proceed, prompting the Raiders to back out). On January 29, 2016, the Chargers announced they would remain in San Diego, California for the 2016 season as negotiations with the city continue; the team also, at the same time, reached an agreement in principle to use the Rams' Los Angeles stadium should negotiations with the city of San Diego fail. On November 8, 2016, Measure C was voted down by voters 57% to 43%; and on January 12, 2017, the Chargers officially announced a move to Los Angeles, making 2016 their final season in San Diego.
Contents
- Draft
- Regular season
- Week 1 at Kansas City Chiefs
- Week 2 vs Jacksonville Jaguars
- Week 3 at Indianapolis Colts
- Week 4 vs New Orleans Saints
- Week 5 at Oakland Raiders
- Week 6 vs Denver Broncos
- Week 7 at Atlanta Falcons
- Week 10 vs Miami Dolphins
- Week 12 at Houston Texans
- Week 15 vs Oakland Raiders
- Week 16 at Cleveland Browns
- Week 17 vs Kansas City Chiefs
- References
This will also be the first time in nine seasons that Pro Bowler free safety Eric Weddle is not on the team, having departed via free agency to the Baltimore Ravens. Weddle had spent his entire career with the Chargers, starting with the 2007 NFL season.
The Chargers fired head coach Mike McCoy after 4 seasons.
Draft
Notes
Regular season
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
Leading 21–3 at halftime, the Chargers blew their lead only scoring 6 more points by field goals as the Chiefs rallied 24 unanswered points forcing overtime where the Chiefs won dropping the Chargers 0–1.
Week 2: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Already without Keenan Allen for the entire season, running back Danny Woodhead suffered a torn ACL, putting him out for the season. Nevertheless, the Chargers would go on to burn the Jaguars, winning 38–14 and with that, they went to 1–1.
Week 3: at Indianapolis Colts
With the stunning loss, the Chargers fell to 1-2.
Week 4: vs. New Orleans Saints
With the last second loss, the Chargers fell to 1-3.
Week 5: at Oakland Raiders
With their third straight loss to the Raiders, the Chargers fell to 1-4.
Week 6: vs. Denver Broncos
The Chargers wore Color Rush uniforms with shades of blue and yellow San Diego used from 1974 until 1984.
The team snapped a 5-game losing streak against the Broncos and improved to 2-4.
Week 7: at Atlanta Falcons
The Chargers came into this game with a 1–8 all-time record against Atlanta. The Falcons had built a 27–10 lead by the two-minute warning at the end of the first half, but the Chargers pulled them back and leveled the score at 30–30 with a 33-yard Josh Lambo field goal with 18 seconds left in regulation. Lambo then hit a 42-yard attempt in overtime to seal the win for the Chargers as they improved to 3-4.
Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins
Philip Rivers would threw four interceptions in this game, including a crucial pick-6 near the end that was returned by Kiko Alonso.
With the loss, the Chargers went into their bye week at 4–6.
Week 12: at Houston Texans
This would end up being the last win for the Chargers in franchise history while in San Diego
Week 15: vs. Oakland Raiders
With the loss, the Chargers were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention for the 3rd straight year, and 7th time in 8 years.
Week 16: at Cleveland Browns
The loss dropped the Chargers to 5–10, and they became the only team to lose to the Cleveland Browns in 2016. Feel the L.
Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
With their sixth straight loss to the Chiefs, the Chargers finished the season 5–11. This would be the final game played as the San Diego Chargers before relocating to Los Angeles following the season.