San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers
Following are the players whose jersey numbers have been retired for each of the current NFL teams. If a card is shown for a player, you can click on the image the see all of the player's cards in the Gallery. When I could find them, I chose cards for this page that show the players wearing their numbers.
- San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Customer Service
- San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers 2019
- San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Last Night
- San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Yesterday
For the list of retired numbers, I referred to a page on the NFL web site. Apparently that page is not completely correct, however. For example, it shows a few retired numbers for the Atlanta Falcons, but the Falcons web site says that the team does not officially retire jersey numbers.
San Diego Chargers president Dean Spanos announces that Junior Seau's #55 is officially retired and will never again be worn by another Chargers player. Only 2 other players in Chargers team history have had their numbers retired.#12 (Dan Fouts) and #19 (Lance Alworth). Alworth's #19 was the second jersey number retired by the San Diego Chargers. If the guy's number is retired by the Chargers, there's no way in hell he's not winning the number here.
PRO FOOTBALL RETIRED PLAYERS ASSOCIATION. Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers (1960-1969) + Oakland Raiders (1971), HOF Member. Mike Singletary.
Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals franchise has retired five numbers, three of them posthumously. Stan Mauldin, who played for the Chicago Cardinals, died after a game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1948. J.V. Cain died in training camp in 1979, while the team was in St. Louis. Pat Tillman left the Cardinals in 2002 to serve in the U.S. Army; he was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
40 - Pat Tillman |
88 - J.V. Cain |
Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons Ring of Honor page says that the organization does not officially retire jersey numbers, but that it is currently not using the numbers below.
21 - Deion Sanders |
57 - Jeff Van Note |
60 - Tommy Nobis |
88 - Mike Kenn |
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens franchise, which began in 1996, has not yet retired any numbers.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have officially retired only Jim Kelly's number, but an article on the team's web site says that the team currently also avoids issuing numbers 15 (Jack Kemp), 32 (O.J. Simpson), 34 (Thurman Thomas), 44 (Elbert Dubenion), 66 (Billy Shaw), 78 (Bruce Smith), and 83 (Andre Reed).
Carolina Panthers
Carolina's first season in the NFL was 1995. The team has retired one number, 51, worn by Sam Mills.
Chicago Bears
The Bears have retired more numbers, 14, than any other NFL team. George McCaskey, the owner of the Bears, has said that Mike Ditka's number is the last one the team will retire.
5 - George McAfee |
28 - Willie Galimore |
40 - Gale Sayers |
42 - Sid Luckman |
56 - Bill Hewitt |
66 - Bulldog Turner |
89 - Mike Ditka |
Cincinnati Bengals
Cleveland Browns
Ernie Davis died of leukemia in 1962, before he had an opportunity to play for the Browns. Don Fleming died in a construction accident seventeen days after Davis.
32 - Jim Brown |
46 - Don Fleming |
Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys, as a matter of policy, do not retire jersey numbers.
Denver Broncos
18 - Frank Tripucka |
Detroit Lions
Chuck Hughes died of a heart attack during a game against the Chicago Bears in 1971.
22 - Bobby Layne |
56 - Joe Schmidt |
Green Bay Packers
Reggie White is the only player to have his number retired by two NFL teams. The Philadelphia Eagles have also retired his number.
14 - Don Hutson |
66 - Ray Nitschke |
Houston Texans
The Texans have not retired any numbers.
Indianapolis Colts
So far, only Colts players who played in Baltimore have had their numbers retired.
22 - Buddy Young |
70 - Art Donovan |
82 - Raymond Berry |
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have not retired any numbers.
Kansas City Chiefs
Stone Johnson died from a neck fracture he received in a 1963 preseason game against the Oakland Raiders. Mack Lee Hill died during knee surgery after a game against the Buffalo Bills in 1965.
16 - Len Dawson |
33 - Stone Johnson |
63 - Willie Lanier |
86 - Buck Buchanan |
Miami Dolphins
13 - Dan Marino |
Minnesota Vikings
Korey Stringer died during training camp with the Vikings in 2001.
53 - Mick Tingelhoff |
77 - Korey Stringer |
88 - Alan Page |
New England Patriots
40 - Mike Haynes |
73 - John Hannah |
79 - Jim Hunt |
New Orleans Saints
The Saints retired the jersey numbers of Jim Taylor and Doug Atkins, though combined they played only four seasons for the team.
81 - Doug Atkins |
New York Giants
4 - Tuffy Leemans |
11 - Phil Simms |
16 - Frank Gifford |
40 - Joe Morrison |
50 - Ken Strong |
New York Jets
13 - Don Maynard |
Oakland Raiders
The Raiders have not retired any numbers.
Philadelphia Eagles
Jerome Brown died from injuries in a car accident just before the 1992 season.
40 - Tom Brookshier |
60 - Chuck Bednarik |
San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Customer Service
92 - Reggie White |
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers retired Ernie Stautner's number in 1964. Fifty years later, in 2014, they retired Mean Joe Greene's.
75 - Joe Greene |
St. Louis Rams
28 - Marshall Faulk |
74 - Merlin Olsen |
San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers 2019
78 - Jackie Slater |
95 - Jack Youngblood |
San Diego Chargers
San Francisco 49ers
16 - Joe Montana |
37 - Jim Johnson |
70 - Charlie Krueger |
79 - Bob St. Clair |
Seattle Seahawks
80 - Steve Largent |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tennessee Titans
43 - Jim Norton |
65 - Elvin Bethea |
Washington Redskins
San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Last Night
Dan Fouts officiated the tribute to Junior Seau, retiring his iconic jersey number
It started slowly; you could barely separate the sound from all the cheering.
“Seau, Seau, Seau.”
The chant built and built until it seemed the whole stadium was taking part. The noise was enough to give you chills.
Local
Junior Seau’s #55 jersey was retired in a pre-game ceremony before the Chargers took on the Titans Sunday.
Chargers’ legendary quarterback Dan Fouts officiated the ceremony. Fouts (14) and Lance Alworth (19) are the only other retired Chargers numbers.
“There is no one more deserving than our friend Junior,” Fouts said.
San Diego Chargers Retired Numbers Yesterday
Fouts presented the retired jersey to Seau’s four children to an erupting crowd.
As highlight after highlight of Seau film played on the Jumbo Tron, there were misty eyes throughout the scorching stadium.
“There is only one Junior Seau,” Fouts said. “And only one 55. And they belong together forever.”
Just when you thought the crowd couldn’t cheer any louder, the 55 banner was unfurled next to Alworth’s.
The noise was deafening.
On a personal note, I grew up watching Seau dominate the field for the Chargers.
He gave the phrase, “take the field by storm,” a new meaning. No one could get the crowded riled up like Seau could. You would start hearing chants of “Say-Ow!”
I never had the chance to personally meet Seau but there are some reputations that are so radiant they expand and grow until that brilliance envelops you so that you feel a part of it.
Seau’s was one of those reputations.
Sunday he was honored as he should: in his beloved city, in front of his home crowd, on the field he owned during his 12 years as a Bolt and by another Chargers’ name that has transcended time.
“His play on the field combined with his leadership and charisma became the face of this team for more than a decade,” Chargers’ President Dean Spanos said in an interview with Chargers’ public relations assistant Scott Yoffe. “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this honor.”