1973 San Diego Chargers season

The 1973 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's fourth season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 14th overall.

1973 San Diego Chargers season
OwnerEugene V. Klein
General managerHarland Svare
Head coachHarland Svare
Home fieldSan Diego Stadium
Results
Record2–11–1
Division place4th AFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone[1]
AP All-ProsNone[2]

The team was coming off a season that ended with a 4–9–1 record. Although he was offered a five-year contract toward the end of the previous season, 1973 would prove to be Harland Svare's final season as the team's head coach.

The team obtained quarterback Johnny Unitas in a trade with the Baltimore Colts, but Unitas was a shell of his former greatness. In the middle of the season he was replaced at quarterback by a rookie Dan Fouts, the team's third-round pick in that year's draft.[3]

Offseason

NFL draft
Main article: 1973 NFL draft
1973 San Diego Chargers draft
Round Pick Player Position College Notes
1 25 Johnny Rodgers  Wide receiver Nebraska Joined the Chargers in 1977 after initially playing in the Canadian Football League
3 64 Dan Fouts * †  Quarterback Oregon
4 84 Jim Thaxton  Tight end Tennessee State
4 97 Bill Singletary  Linebacker Temple
5 123 Willie McGee  Wide receiver Alcorn State
5 125 Jon Knoble  Linebacker Weber State
6 135 Marvin Roberts  Center Michigan State
9 214 Tab Bennett  Linebacker Illinois
10 239 Cliff Burnett  Defensive end Montana
11 268 Jay Douglas  Center Memphis
12 293 Lynn Ahrens  Tackle Eastern Montana
13 318 Alfred Reese  Running back Tennessee State
14 343 Tony Adams  Quarterback Utah State
15 372 Gary Parris  Tight end Florida State
16 397 Joe Petty  Defensive back Arizona State University
17 422 Barry Darrow  Tackle Montana
      Made roster    †   Pro Football Hall of Fame    *   Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

Roster
1973 San Diego Chargers final roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

  • 37 Cid Edwards FB
  • 20 Mike Garrett
  • 26 Clinton Jones
  • 35 Bob Thomas

Wide receivers

  • 81 Ron Holliday
  • 25 Jerry LeVias
  • 28 Willie McGee

Tight ends

  • 88 Pettis Norman
  • 80 Gary Parris
  • 86 Jim Thaxton
 Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

  • 87 Lionel Aldridge DE
  • 79 Coy Bacon DE
  • 64 Dave Costa DT
  • 77 Ron East DT
  • 75 Deacon Jones DE
  • 51 Pete Lazetich DE
  • 71 Cal Snowden DE
  • 68 Gregory Wojcik DT
 Linebackers
  • 54 Carl Gersbach
  • 66 Rick Redman
  • 57 Floyd Rice
  • 53 Mel Rogers
  • 82 Tim Rossovich
  • 58 Mike Stratton

Defensive backs

  • 40 Joe Beauchamp CB
  • 39 Lenny Dunlap CB
  • 44 Chris Fletcher FS
  • 24 Bob Howard CB
  • 30 Bryant Salter SS
  • 48 Ron Smith SS

Special teams

  • 29 Dennis Partee P
  • 15 Ray Wersching K
 Reserve lists
  • 27 Gary Garrison WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve)


Rookies in italics

Regular season

Schedule
Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap
1 September 16 at Washington Redskins L 0–38 0–1 RFK Stadium 53,589 Recap
2 September 23 Buffalo Bills W 34–7 1–1 San Diego Stadium 47,588 Recap
3 September 30 Cincinnati Bengals L 13–20 1–2 San Diego Stadium 46,733 Recap
4 October 7 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 21–38 1–3 Three Rivers Stadium 48,795 Recap
5 October 14 Oakland Raiders L 17–27 1–4 San Diego Stadium 50,672 Recap
6 October 21 Atlanta Falcons L 0–41 1–5 San Diego Stadium 41,527 Recap
7 October 28 at Cleveland Browns T 16–16 1–5–1 Cleveland Municipal Stadium 68,244 Recap
8 November 4 Kansas City Chiefs L 0–19 1–6–1 San Diego Stadium 50,234 Recap
9 November 11 at Denver Broncos L 19–30 1–7–1 Mile High Stadium 51,034 Recap
10 November 18 New Orleans Saints W 17–14 2–7–1 San Diego Stadium 34,848 Recap
11 November 25 at Oakland Raiders L 3–31 2–8–1 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 40,195 Recap
12 December 2 at New England Patriots L 14–30 2–9–1 Schaefer Stadium 58,150 Recap
13 December 9 Denver Broncos L 28–42 2–10–1 San Diego Stadium 44,954 Recap
14 December 16 at Kansas City Chiefs L 6–33 2–11–1 Arrowhead Stadium 43,755 Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Week 1: at Washington Redskins
Week One: San Diego Chargers at Washington Redskins – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 0 000
Redskins 21 0 71038

at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Washington, D.C.

  • Date: September 16
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 73 °F (22.8 °C), relative humidity 59%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance: 53,589
  • Referee: Norm Schachter
  • Box score
Game information

Week 2: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week Two: Buffalo Bills at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bills 0 7 007
Chargers 7 7 14634

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: September 23
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 10 mph
  • Game attendance: 47,588
  • Referee: Jack Reader
  • Box score
Game information

Week 3: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week Three: Cincinnati Bengals at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Bengals 7 6 7020
Chargers 3 0 01013

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: September 30
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 67 °F (19.4 °C), relative humidity 70%, wind 9 mph
  • Game attendance: 46,733
  • Referee: Chuck Heberling
  • Box score
Game information

Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week Four: San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 0 02121
Steelers 17 21 0038

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

  • Date: October 7
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
  • Game weather: 60 °F (15.6 °C), relative humidity 63%, wind 7 mph
  • Game attendance: 48,795
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • Box score
Game information

Week 5: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week Five: Oakland Raiders at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Raiders 0 6 71427
Chargers 3 0 14017

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: October 14
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 66 °F (18.9 °C), relative humidity 71%, wind 8 mph
  • Game attendance: 50,672
  • Referee: John McDonough
  • Box score
Game information

Week 6: vs. Atlanta Falcons
Week Six: Atlanta Falcons at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Falcons 7 10 101441
Chargers 0 0 000

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: October 21
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
  • Game weather: 65 °F (18.3 °C), relative humidity 73%, wind 10 mph
  • Game attendance: 41,527
  • Box score
Game information

Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
Week Seven: San Diego Chargers at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 10 3316
Browns 0 3 31016

at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio

  • Date: October 28
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 54 °F (12.2 °C), relative humidity 86%, wind 11 mph
  • Game attendance: 68,244
  • Referee: Tom Bell
  • Box score
Game information

Week 8: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Week Eight: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chiefs 6 3 3719
Chargers 0 0 000

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: November 4
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), relative humidity 62%, wind 6 mph
  • Game attendance: 50,234
  • Referee: Fred Swearingen
  • Box score
Game information

Week 9: at Denver Broncos
Week Nine: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 13 0319
Broncos 10 0 61430

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

  • Date: November 11
  • Game time: 2:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 52 °F (11.1 °C), relative humidity 41%, wind 7 mph
  • Game attendance: 51,034
  • Referee: Jim Tunney
  • Box score
Game information

Week 10: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week Ten: New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Saints 0 0 7714
Chargers 0 10 0717

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: November 18
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 61 °F (16.1 °C), relative humidity 83%, wind 12 mph
  • Game attendance: 34,848
  • Referee: Pat Haggerty
  • Box score
Game information

Week 11: at Oakland Raiders
Week Eleven: San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 0 003
Raiders 7 17 7031

at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

  • Date: November 25
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 49 °F (9.4 °C), relative humidity 77%, wind 12 mph
  • Game attendance: 40,195
  • Referee: Fred Silva
  • Box score
Game information

Week 12: at New England Patriots
Week Twelve: San Diego Chargers at New England Patriots – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 0 14 0014
Patriots 3 13 7730

at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

  • Date: December 2
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: 33 °F (0.6 °C), relative humidity 47%, wind 13 mph, wind chill 23
  • Game attendance: 58,150
  • Referee: John McDonough
  • Box score
Game information

Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos
Week Thirteen: Denver Broncos at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Broncos 7 13 19342
Chargers 7 7 01428

at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California

  • Date: December 9
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
  • Game weather: 63 °F (17.2 °C), relative humidity 34%, wind 5 mph
  • Game attendance: 44,954
  • Referee: Fred Wyant
  • Box score
Game information

Week 14: at Kansas City Chiefs
Week Fourteen: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Period 1 2 34Total
Chargers 3 0 306
Chiefs 10 3 101033

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

  • Date: December 16
  • Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
  • Game weather: 20 °F (−6.7 °C), relative humidity 73%, wind 11 mph, wind chill 8
  • Game attendance: 43,755
  • Box score
Game information

Standings
AFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Oakland Raiders 9 4 1 .679 4–1–1 7–3–1 292 175 W4
Kansas City Chiefs 7 5 2 .571 4–2 6–4–1 231 192 W1
Denver Broncos 7 5 2 .571 3–2–1 7–2–1 354 296 L1
San Diego Chargers 2 11 1 .179 0–6 1–9–1 188 386 L4

References
  1. "1973 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  2. "1973 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com.
  3. Fouts would go on to play 15 seasons for the Chargers, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1993.
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