The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California.

They are currently members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).

Originally called the Los Angeles Chargers, the club began play in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League.

Although the Chargers were tied with three other teams for the worst record of the 2003 NFL season, the league's tie-breaking system gave San Diego the number one pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

With this pick, the Chargers selected Quarterback Eli Manning from the University of Mississippi despite Manning's stated desire to play elsewhere.

New York Giants general manager Ernie Accorsi, who had been in trade negotiations for several weeks before the draft with the Chargers, selected quarterback Philip Rivers fourth and traded him along with additional draft picks to the Chargers.

Rivers was expected to compete for the starting quarterback job, but he held out of training camp in a contract dispute.

Drew Brees, who received the majority of snaps at quarterback during Rivers' hold out, would retain the starting quarterback position.

The team earned a trip back to the post-season in 2004 by capturing the AFC West division title with a 12-4 regular season record.

During the 2005 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers drafted linebacker Shawne Merriman with a draft pick acquired from the Giants in the Eli Manning trade, who would go on to become a selection to the 2006 Pro Bowl and the 2005 Defensive NFL Rookie of the Year Award recipient.

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