Entering 2015, 15 of the NFL’s 32 teams have been in the same city and have played without interruption for at least 50 seasons.
The San Diego Chargers are one of those clubs.
On this day in 1961, the American Football League allowed Chargers owner Barron Hilton to move the club from Los Angeles to San Diego after just one season. A lack of fan support in Los Angeles purportedly was the catalyst for the move.
Ever since, the Chargers have remained in San Diego, capturing an AFL title in 1963 and making the Super Bowl in 1994. They have had just two home fields — Balboa Stadium and Qualcomm Stadium, the latter of which they have called home since 1967.
About Qualcomm Stadium: The Chargers continue to seek a new home field, an issue that has dragged on for more than a decade. But as PFT’s Mike Florio noted in December, the Chargers’ patience might be wearing out.
Thirteen other NFL teams have been in their cities longer than the Chargers. Five fellow AFL members — the Jets, Patriots, Broncos, Cowboys and Bills — have just one more year under their belts in their respective homes. The 49ers, Steelers, Lions, Eagles, Giants, Packers, Bears and Washington are the other clubs who have remained in place longer than San Diego.
The Vikings, like the Chargers, began play in their home city in 1961. Unlike the Chargers, the Vikings recently got a stadium deal done, ensuring they will remain in Minneapolis for the forseeable future.
Pro football has roots in San Diego — deep roots, a half-century’s worth. Team and city proved an apt pairing all those years ago, and it has worked since. The question now is whether the Chargers get their third stadium in San Diego. They figure to get one relatively soon, given the age of their current digs. It’s just a matter of location and how the tab is split up.
