San Diego Chargers Great Don Coryell Snubbed again

Once more, Don Coryell was up for enshrinement in Canton’s Pro Football Hall of Fame, and once more he came up short. 

After the obvious choices of emmitt smith and Jerry Rice entered, only three places remained for the plethora of potential hall of famers. 

Former Saint and 49er Rickey Jackson, Minnesota Viking and Seattle Seahawk John Randle, and Redskins offensive lineman Russ Grimm all gained enshrinement.

As entries by way of seniors-committee nominations, Floyd Little and Dick LeBeau also entered into the hall.

It would have been difficult for the former Chargers head coach to have made his way through the stacked class this year, with his lack of a Super Bowl creating a difficult hurdle to overcome.

Hopefully soon the 85-year-old Coryell will gain entry. While his 111-83 record is hardly overwhelming and his lack of a Super-Bowl potentially debilitating Coryell’s contributions extend beyond the win-loss column for both San Diego, and the NFL itself.

Despite being known primarily for the dynamic passing offense he evolved across his 29-year coaching career, Coryell interestingly enough began his football journey on the other side of the ball, playing defensive back for the University of Washington.

Coryell then cut his coaching teeth at the college level with a two year stint at tiny Whittier College before he began his 11 year tenure with San Diego State (1961-1972). 

By the time Coryell was done coaching in the college ranks, he had compiled an impressive 104-19-2 record that included three undefeated seasons.

Coryell then moved on to coach the then-St. Louis Cardinals.  His time away from southern California was brief, only a four-year stretch between 1973 and 1977.

After that Coryell returned to the city of San Diego, this time as head coach of the San Diego Chargers.  His innovations within the passing game were so great that the manner earned its own nomenclature: “Air Coryell.”

Coryell stepped into the Chargers under tenuous circumstances.  The team began 1978 with a 1-4 record that created a coaching opening for Coryell to step into.  He delivered immediate results, leading the team to a strong 8-3 finish and 9-7 record overall.

From that first partial season, Coryell was off and running.  With the luxury of great talent with which to invoke his passing philosophies, Coryell’s Chargers, behind quarterback Dan Fouts, tight end Kellen Winslow, and wide receiver Charlie Joiner, became one of the NFL’s most prolific passing offenses of all time.

The six consecutive years (1978-1983) the team led the league in passing offense is still an NFL record, and after a one-year dip, they held the top mantle again in 1985. 

That dominance throwing the football put Fouts, Joiner, and Winslow into the Hall of Fame.  Only the coach who got them there remains absent.

He has already gained entry into both the College Football Hall of Fame, as well as the San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame, the only accolade lacking is the final great honor. 

In an interesting twist, Coryell’s impact on the Chargers has stretched beyond his time as part of the organization, and into today. 

Current head coach Norv Turner tutored under Ernie Zampese, who was himself a disciple of Coryell (one of many coaches and coordinators with that honor).

So while this year did not come to pass, a push must continue to be made to honor a not just a great piece of the Chargers, but of the NFL itself. 

Chargers fans cannot forget what he has done for the team and the city, and one day hopefully those fans can get Coryell the Canton bust he well deserves.