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1981 San Diego Chargers
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Record: 10-6-0, Finished 1st in AFC West Division
NFL Season Summary
Scored 478 points (29.9/g), 1st of 28 in the NFL.
Allowed 390 points (24.4/g), 26th.
Differential of 88 points (5.5/g), 5th.
Expected W-L: 9.9-6.1.
Takeaway/Giveaway Differential +1 (0.1/g), 13th.
Coached by Don Coryell (10-6-0)
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1981 Statistics / Starters & Roster / Games & Schedule / Team Draftees
Starters
Glossary · ProBowl(*), 1st-team All-Pro(+), · CSV · PRE · Hide Non-primary Starters| Pos | Age | Yrs | GS | Summary of Player Stats | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Offensive Starters | Complete Team Stats | |||||
| QB | Dan Fouts* | 30 | 8 | 16 | 360 for 609, 4,802 yards, 33 td, 17 int, & 22 rushes for 56 yards and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 64th pick / 1973 |
| RB | Chuck Muncie* | 28 | 5 | 14 | 251 rushes for 1,144 yards, 19 td, & 43 catches for 362 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| FB | John Cappelletti | 29 | 7 | 5 | 68 rushes for 254 yards, 4 td, & 10 catches for 126 yards and 1 td | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 11th pick / 1974 |
| WR | Wes Chandler | 25 | 3 | 11 | 52 catches for 857 yards, 5 td, & 5 rushes for -1 yards and 0 td | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| WR | Charlie Joiner | 34 | 12 | 16 | 70 catches for 1,188 yards, 7 td | Houston Oilers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1969 |
| TE | Eric Sievers | 24 | Rook | 10 | 22 catches for 276 yards, 3 td | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 107th pick / 1981 |
| TE | Kellen Winslow*+ | 24 | 2 | 16 | 88 catches for 1,075 yards, 10 td | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 13th pick / 1979 |
| LT | Billy Shields | 28 | 6 | 16 | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 136th pick / 1975 |
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| LG | Doug Wilkerson* | 34 | 11 | 16 | 1 fumble recovered | Houston Oilers / 1st / 14th pick / 1970 |
| C | Don Macek | 27 | 5 | 15 | 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 31st pick / 1976 |
| RG | Ed White | 34 | 12 | 16 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1969 |
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| RT | Russ Washington | 35 | 13 | 13 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 4th pick / 1968 |
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| Defensive Starters | ||||||
| LDE | Leroy Jones | 31 | 5 | 14 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 48th pick / 1975 |
| LDT | Louie Kelcher | 28 | 6 | 14 | 0 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 30th pick / 1975 |
| RDT | Gary Johnson*+ | 29 | 6 | 16 | 1 interception, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 8th pick / 1975 |
| RDE | John Woodcock | 27 | 5 | 12 | 0 interceptions, 2 fumbles recovered | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 76th pick / 1976 |
| LLB | Linden King | 26 | 3 | 16 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 77th pick / 1977 |
| MLB | Bob Horn | 27 | 5 | 11 | 1 interception, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 94th pick / 1976 |
| MLB | Cliff Thrift | 25 | 2 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1979 |
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| RLB | Woodrow Lowe | 27 | 5 | 16 | 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1976 |
| LCB | Willie Buchanon | 31 | 9 | 16 | 5 interceptions, 4 fumbles recovered | Green Bay Packers / 1st / 7th pick / 1972 |
| RCB | Mike H. Williams | 28 | 6 | 12 | 3 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 22nd pick / 1975 |
| RCB | Allan Ellis | 30 | 8 | 6 | Chicago Bears / 5th / 107th pick / 1973 |
|
| SS | Pete Shaw | 27 | 4 | 12 | 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovered | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 152nd pick / 1977 |
| FS | Glen Edwards | 34 | 10 | 8 | 2 interceptions, 3 fumbles recovered | |
| FS | Bob Gregor | 24 | Rook | 6 | 2 interceptions, 0 fumbles recovered | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 108th pick / 1980 |
| Special Teams Starters | ||||||
| K | Rolf Benirschke | 26 | 4 | 0 | 19 of 26 field goals & 55 of 61 extra points | Oakland Raiders / 12th / 334th pick / 1977 |
| P | George Roberts | 26 | 3 | 0 | 62 punts for a 41.0 average, 1 blocked | |
| PR | James Brooks | 23 | Rook | 2 | 22 punt returns for a 13.2 average and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1981 |
| KR | James Brooks | 23 | Rook | 2 | 40 kick returns for a 23.7 average and 0 td | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1981 |
| Age | Pos | G | GS | Wt | Ht | College/Univ | BirthDate | Yrs | Drafted (tm/rnd/yr) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hank Bauer | 27 | RB | 16 | 0 | 200 | 5-10 | California Lutheran | 7/15/1954 | 4 | |
| Doug Beaudoin | 27 | DB | 4 | 0 | 193 | 6-1 | Minnesota | 5/15/1954 | 5 | New England Patriots / 9th / 243rd pick / 1976 |
| Rolf Benirschke | 26 | K | 16 | 0 | 171 | 6-0 | California-Davis | 2/7/1955 | 4 | Oakland Raiders / 12th / 334th pick / 1977 |
| Carlos Bradley | 21 | LB | 8 | 0 | 224 | 6-0 | Wake Forest | 4/27/1960 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 300th pick / 1981 |
| Billy Brooks | 28 | WR | 7 | 0 | 204 | 6-3 | Oklahoma | 8/20/1953 | 5 | Cincinnati Bengals / 1st / 11th pick / 1976 |
| James Brooks | 23 | RB | 14 | 2 | 180 | 5-10 | Auburn | 12/28/1958 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1981 |
| Willie Buchanon | 31 | DB | 16 | 16 | 190 | 6-0 | San Diego State | 11/4/1950 | 9 | Green Bay Packers / 1st / 7th pick / 1972 |
| John Cappelletti | 29 | RB | 16 | 5 | 215 | 6-1 | Penn State | 8/9/1952 | 7 | Los Angeles Rams / 1st / 11th pick / 1974 |
| Wes Chandler | 25 | WR | 12 | 11 | 196 | 6-0 | Florida | 8/22/1956 | 3 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1978 |
| Sam Claphan | 25 | T-G | 16 | 0 | 285 | 6-6 | Oklahoma | 10/10/1956 | Rook | Cleveland Browns / 2nd / 47th pick / 1979 |
| Fred Dean*+ | 29 | DE | 3 | 2 | 230 | 6-3 | Louisiana Tech | 2/24/1952 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 33rd pick / 1975 |
| Frank Duncan | 25 | DB | 7 | 4 | 190 | 6-1 | San Francisco State | 11/16/1956 | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 12th / 321st pick / 1979 |
| Glen Edwards | 34 | DB | 8 | 8 | 185 | 6-0 | Florida A&M | 7/31/1947 | 10 | |
| Allan Ellis | 30 | DB | 11 | 6 | 185 | 5-11 | UCLA | 8/19/1951 | 8 | Chicago Bears / 5th / 107th pick / 1973 |
| Keith Ferguson | 22 | DE | 16 | 1 | 252 | 6-5 | Ohio State | 4/3/1959 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1981 |
| Scott Fitzkee | 24 | WR | 5 | 0 | 187 | 6-0 | Penn State | 4/8/1957 | 2 | Philadelphia Eagles / 5th / 126th pick / 1979 |
| Dan Fouts* | 30 | QB | 16 | 16 | 204 | 6-3 | Oregon | 6/10/1951 | 8 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 64th pick / 1973 |
| Bob Gregor | 24 | DB | 14 | 6 | 192 | 6-2 | Washington State | 2/10/1957 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 108th pick / 1980 |
| Wyatt Henderson | 25 | DB | 15 | 0 | 180 | 5-10 | Fresno State | 11/10/1956 | Rook | |
| Pete Holohan | 22 | TE | 7 | 0 | 237 | 6-4 | Notre Dame | 7/25/1959 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 189th pick / 1981 |
| Bob Horn | 27 | LB | 16 | 11 | 235 | 6-3 | Oregon State | 2/6/1954 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 94th pick / 1976 |
| Gary Johnson*+ | 29 | DT-DE-NT | 16 | 16 | 257 | 6-2 | Grambling State | 8/31/1952 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 8th pick / 1975 |
| Charlie Joiner | 34 | WR | 16 | 16 | 188 | 5-11 | Grambling State | 10/14/1947 | 12 | Houston Oilers / 4th / 93rd pick / 1969 |
| Leroy Jones | 31 | DE | 16 | 14 | 263 | 6-8 | Norfolk State | 9/29/1950 | 5 | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 48th pick / 1975 |
| Louie Kelcher | 28 | DT-NT | 14 | 14 | 291 | 6-5 | SMU | 8/23/1953 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 30th pick / 1975 |
| Linden King | 26 | LB | 16 | 16 | 241 | 6-4 | Colorado State | 6/28/1955 | 3 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 77th pick / 1977 |
| Jim Laslavic | 30 | LB | 16 | 0 | 237 | 6-2 | Penn State | 10/24/1951 | 8 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 71st pick / 1973 |
| Chuck Loewen | 24 | T-G | 9 | 3 | 263 | 6-3 | South Dakota State | 1/23/1957 | 1 | San Diego Chargers / 7th / 175th pick / 1980 |
| Woodrow Lowe | 27 | LB | 16 | 16 | 227 | 6-0 | Alabama | 6/9/1954 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 131st pick / 1976 |
| Ed Luther | 24 | QB | 16 | 0 | 206 | 6-3 | San Jose State | 1/2/1957 | 1 | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 101st pick / 1980 |
| Don Macek | 27 | C-G | 15 | 15 | 261 | 6-3 | Boston College | 7/21/1954 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 2nd / 31st pick / 1976 |
| Chuck Muncie* | 28 | RB | 15 | 14 | 227 | 6-3 | California | 3/17/1953 | 5 | New Orleans Saints / 1st / 3rd pick / 1976 |
| Irvin Phillips | 21 | DB | 15 | 0 | 192 | 6-1 | Arkansas Tech | 1/23/1960 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 77th pick / 1981 |
| Ray Preston | 27 | LB | 16 | 0 | 218 | 6-0 | Syracuse | 1/25/1954 | 5 | San Diego Chargers / 11th / 295th pick / 1976 |
| Don Reese | 30 | DT-DE | 5 | 2 | 254 | 6-6 | Jackson State | 9/4/1951 | 7 | Miami Dolphins / 1st / 26th pick / 1974 |
| George Roberts | 26 | P | 16 | 0 | 181 | 6-0 | Virginia Tech | 6/10/1955 | 3 | |
| Bob Rush | 26 | C-T | 16 | 1 | 265 | 6-5 | Memphis | 2/27/1955 | 4 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 24th pick / 1977 |
| Dwight Scales | 28 | WR | 16 | 4 | 178 | 6-2 | Grambling State | 5/30/1953 | 5 | Los Angeles Rams / 5th / 155th pick / 1976 |
| Pete Shaw | 27 | DB | 16 | 12 | 183 | 5-10 | Northwestern | 8/25/1954 | 4 | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 152nd pick / 1977 |
| Billy Shields | 28 | T | 16 | 16 | 272 | 6-8 | Georgia Tech | 8/23/1953 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 6th / 136th pick / 1975 |
| Eric Sievers | 24 | TE | 16 | 10 | 236 | 6-4 | Maryland | 11/9/1957 | Rook | San Diego Chargers / 4th / 107th pick / 1981 |
| Ron B. Smith | 25 | WR | 9 | 1 | 185 | 6-0 | San Diego State | 11/20/1956 | 3 | Los Angeles Rams / 2nd / 53rd pick / 1978 |
| Aundra Thompson | 28 | WR-RB | 1 | 0 | 186 | 6-1 | Texas A&M-Commerce | 1/2/1953 | 4 | Green Bay Packers / 5th / 132nd pick / 1976 |
| Cliff Thrift | 25 | LB | 7 | 5 | 232 | 6-1 | East Central (OK) | 5/3/1956 | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 3rd / 73rd pick / 1979 |
| Russ Washington | 35 | T-DT | 13 | 13 | 289 | 6-6 | Missouri | 12/17/1946 | 13 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 4th pick / 1968 |
| Jimmy Webb | 29 | DT-DE | 16 | 1 | 247 | 6-5 | Mississippi State | 4/13/1952 | 6 | San Francisco 49ers / 1st / 10th pick / 1975 |
| Ed White | 34 | G-T | 16 | 16 | 269 | 6-1 | California | 4/4/1947 | 12 | Minnesota Vikings / 2nd / 39th pick / 1969 |
| Doug Wilkerson* | 34 | G | 16 | 16 | 253 | 6-3 | North Carolina Central | 3/27/1947 | 11 | Houston Oilers / 1st / 14th pick / 1970 |
| Clarence Williams | 26 | RB | 14 | 1 | 194 | 5-9 | South Carolina | 1/25/1955 | 4 | San Diego Chargers / 5th / 124th pick / 1977 |
| Jeff Williams | 26 | G-T | 12 | 0 | 256 | 6-4 | Rhode Island | 4/15/1955 | 4 | Los Angeles Rams / 5th / 134th pick / 1977 |
| Mike H. Williams | 28 | DB | 14 | 12 | 181 | 5-10 | LSU | 11/22/1953 | 6 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 22nd pick / 1975 |
| Kellen Winslow*+ | 24 | TE | 16 | 16 | 251 | 6-5 | Missouri | 11/5/1957 | 2 | San Diego Chargers / 1st / 13th pick / 1979 |
| John Woodcock | 27 | DT-DE | 12 | 12 | 246 | 6-3 | Hawaii,New Mexico | 3/19/1954 | 5 | Detroit Lions / 3rd / 76th pick / 1976 |
| Wilbur Young | 32 | DE-DT | 5 | 2 | 285 | 6-6 | William Penn | 4/20/1949 | 10 | Kansas City Chiefs / 2nd / 39th pick / 1971 |
| Team Total | 27.3 | 16 | 223.1 | 6-2.1 | 4.6 |