The 2016 season was the San Diego Chargers' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall, their 56th and final season in San Diego, California, and their fourth and final season under head coach Mike McCoy.
Due to the age of Qualcomm Stadium, there was speculation that the team would be relocating back to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its first season in 1960. This followed a decision by the NFL to allow the St. Louis Rams to return 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 releasing a statement and a video on the team's website. The league made its decision in a special meeting on January 12; it approved the Chargers' relocation if they chose to share SoFi Stadium 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 for the 2016 season as negotiations with the city continued; the team also reached an agreement in principle to use the Rams' Los Angeles stadium should negotiations with the city of San Diego fail.Hirsh, Lou (January 29, 2016). Chargers to Play in S.D. for 2016; More Negotiations Planned. San Diego Business Journal. Retrieved January 29, 2016. 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.
This was the first time in nine seasons that Pro Bowler free safety Eric Weddle was 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.
This was also the first time the Chargers had suffered from consecutive losing seasons since 2000—2001.
On January 1, 2017, the Chargers fired head coach McCoy after four seasons.
Offseason
Roster changes Signed Position Player 2015 Team Contract WR Travis Benjamin Cleveland Browns 4 years, $26 million CB Casey Hayward Green Bay Packers 3 years, $15.3 million DT Brandon Mebane Seattle Seahawks 3 years, $13.5 million FS Dwight Lowery Indianapolis Colts 3 years, $7.2 million G Matt Slauson Chicago Bears 2 years, $4 million TE Jeff Cumberland New York Jets 1 year, $840,000
Departures Position Player 2016 Team FS Eric Weddle Baltimore Ravens WR Malcom Floyd Retired TE Ladarius Green Pittsburgh Steelers CB Patrick Robinson Indianapolis Colts P Mike Scifres Carolina Panthers RB Donald Brown New England Patriots ILB Donald Butler Miami Dolphins
NFL draft
Notes The Chargers traded their 2016 fifth-round selection, along with their 2015 first- and fourth-round selections to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers' 2015 first-round selection. The Chargers acquired an additional sixth-round selection in a trade that sent guard Jeremiah Sirles to the Minnesota Vikings. As the result of a negative differential of free agent signings and departures that the Chargers experienced during the free agency period, the team received one compensatory selection for the 2016 draft in the fifth round. Free agent transactions that occurred after May 12, 2015, did not impact the team's formula for determining compensatory selections for the 2016 draft.
Staff
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 August 13 at Tennessee Titans L 10–27 0–1 Nissan Stadium Recap 2 August 19 Arizona Cardinals W 19–3 1–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 3 August 28 at Minnesota Vikings L 10–23 1–2 U.S. Bank Stadium Recap 4 September 1 San Francisco 49ers L 21–31 1–3 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
Regular season Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 at Kansas City Chiefs L 27–33 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 September 18 Jacksonville Jaguars W 38–14 1–1 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 3 September 25 at Indianapolis Colts L 22–26 1–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 4 October 2 New Orleans Saints L 34–35 1–3 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 5 October 9 at Oakland Raiders L 31–34 1–4 Oakland Alameda Coliseum Recap 6 Denver Broncos W 21–13 2–4 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 7 October 23 at Atlanta Falcons W 33–30 3–4 Georgia Dome Recap 8 October 30 at Denver Broncos L 19–27 3–5 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 9 November 6 Tennessee Titans W 43–35 4–5 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 10 November 13 Miami Dolphins L 24–31 4–6 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 11 Bye 12 November 27 at Houston Texans W 21–13 5–6 NRG Stadium Recap 13 December 4 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 21–28 5–7 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 14 December 11 at Carolina Panthers L 16–28 5–8 Bank of America Stadium Recap 15 December 18 Oakland Raiders L 16–19 5–9 Qualcomm Stadium Recap 16 at Cleveland Browns L 17–20 5–10 FirstEnergy Stadium Recap 17 January 1 Kansas City Chiefs L 27–37 5–11 Qualcomm Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Kansas City Chiefs
Leading 21–3 at halftime, the Chargers blew their lead, scoring only six more points by field goals. Kansas City rallied with 24 unanswered points, forcing overtime, where the Chiefs won the season's opening game.
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 went on to burn the Jaguars, winning 38–14, and with that they went to 1–1.
Week 3: at Indianapolis Colts With a stunning loss on a 63-yard Colts touchdown pass to T.Y. Hilton with 1:17 to play, the Chargers' record fell to 1–2.
Week 4: vs. New Orleans Saints Ahead 34–21, the Chargers gave up two Drew Brees touchdown passes in the final five minutes and 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 3-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, and this marked San Diego's first visit to Atlanta since 2004. 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 8: at Denver Broncos
Week 9: vs. Tennessee Titans This turned out to be the Chargers last win in San Diego. They lost their last 4 games at Qualcomm Stadium.
Week 10: vs. Miami Dolphins
Philip Rivers threw four fourth quarter interceptions in this game, including a crucial pick-6 with a minute remaining 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 proved to be the last win for the Chargers franchise while based in San Diego.
Week 13: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 14: at Carolina Panthers
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 while ironcally letting the Raiders to clinch their first playoff berth since 2002.
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.
Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
With their sixth straight loss to the Chiefs, the Chargers finished the season 5–11. This was to be the final game played as the San Diego Chargers before relocating to Los Angeles in January 2017.
Standings
Division
Conference
References
External links