LOS ANGELES -- Nearly 30 years ago, the San Diego Chargers faced the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XXIX. The Chargers were outmatched that day -- a 49-26 drubbing by one of the best teams in league history. Still, the future looked bright for the Chargers. They were a decade into ownership by the Spanos family and had promising talent led by linebacker Junior Seau.
Since then, the Chargers have become synonymous with disappointment. They've burned through nine head coaches and piled up embarrassing losses without another Super Bowl appearance, all while alienating their fan base in a move from San Diego to Los Angeles in 2017.