The Los Angeles Chargers‘ Mount Rushmore is finally etched in stone, and boy, does it pack a punch. From ‘Air Coryell’ to ‘LT’s Leap’, these gridiron giants have left an indelible mark on the Bolts’ legacy.

As if carving out football immortality wasn’t enough, Hall of Famer Dan Fouts is now playing cheerleader for the Chargers’ future. The quarterback who once lit up the scoreboard faster than a California wildfire is now rooting for a new dynamic duo. Here’s the kicker: Fouts sees a bit of himself in the latest gunslinger to don the powder blue. Talk about a torch being passed!

The fearsome foursome of Chargers’ Mount Rushmore

‘Air Coryell’ maestro Dan Fouts leads the charge on the Chargers’ Mount Rushmore, throwing spirals through time. This quarterback extraordinaire revolutionized the NFL’s aerial attack alongside mastermind Don Coryell. Fouts, the original ‘Bolt from the Blue’, lit up scoreboards like a San Diego fireworks show. “Fouts had three straight seasons with 4,000 passing yards from 1979 to 1981, unheard of at that time,” the NFL Throwback video reminds us. He made back-to-back AFC title game appearances, proving he could sling it with the best of ’em.

Next up, LaDainian Tomlinson, the TD machine who could juke defenders out of their cleats faster than you can say “Bolt Up!” LT’s 2006 season was pure football poetry – he set a new NFL single-season record with 31 touchdowns. As the NFL Throwback puts it, “LT started his career with eight straight seasons of 1500 plus scrimmage yards.” He was like a video game character coming to life, leaving opposing defenses scratching their heads and Fantasy Football owners doing touchdown dances.

Junior Seau, the heart and soul of the defense, takes his rightful place on this gridiron Mount Olympus. The hometown hero anchored the Bolts’ D for 13 seasons, racking up 12 straight Pro Bowl appearances. “Junior Seau truly had a nose for the ball,” the NFL Throwback notes, “and his 155 tackles in 1994 propelled the Chargers to their only Super Bowl appearance in team history.” Seau was everywhere on the field, like a lightning bolt striking twice.

Rounding out this fearsome foursome is Lance Alworth, aka ‘Bambi’, who was as graceful as his nickname suggests. Alworth averaged a mind-boggling 19.3 yards per catch during his Chargers career. The NFL Throwback video states, “He was arguably the best receiver in pro football throughout the 1960s.” Alworth led the Bolts to their only Pro Football Championship in 1963, proving he could leap tall defenders in a single bound.

From the electric fields of San Diego to the star-studded streets of Los Angeles, the Chargers’ journey has been as dramatic as a Hollywood blockbuster. The team, born in LA in 1960, found its groove in San Diego from 1961 to 2016. But like a plot twist in a sports movie, they returned to their roots in 2017, becoming the Los Angeles Chargers once again. Through it all, these four legends have remained the pillars of the franchise, their legacy as enduring as the California sunshine.

As we marvel at this monument to gridiron greatness, it’s clear that the Chargers’ story is far from over. These four titans might have etched their names into the Chargers’ history, but the subsequent chapter is happening in real time. Who knows? We may see some new faces joining Mount Rushmore soon.

Honorable mentions and Fouts’ bolt to the future

Though the Mount Rushmore of the Chargers was carved in stone, there are a few greats who didn’t make it that far, showing that their talent pool runs deep as the Pacific. Philip Rivers, who had been an iron man for the franchise, nearly made his face on the mountain. As stated in an NFL Throwback video, “Rivers retired as the club’s all-time leader in QB wins and passing yards.” With his signature sidearm sling and southern drawl, Rivers quarterbacked the Chargers for over ten years with a relentless competitive nature like the San Diego heat wave.

Tight end Antonio Gates, the basketball player turned touchdown machine, also deserves a nod. The undrafted free agent became a nightmare for defenses, using his hardwood skills to box out linebackers and safeties.  Gates’ red zone prowess was so reliable, that you could set your watch to it.

Additionally, tight end Antonio Gates changed sports to become a touchdown machine and deserves recognition. The undrafted free agent became a nightmare to defenses using his basketball skills to box out linebackers and safeties. As the NFL Throwback reminds us, “Gates has the most touchdown catches of any tight end ever. 112 career touchdown catches, that’s the most by an NFL tight end.” If you could set your watch by anything it would be Gates’ red zone prowess.

Let’s not forget Kellen Winslow, the tight end who revolutionized the position. Winslow was like a bolt of lightning on the field, too quick for linebackers and too big for defensive backs. His epic performance in the 1981 playoff game against Miami, dubbed ‘The Epic in Miami’, is the stuff of mystic lores.

Furthermore, Kellen Winslow was one of those tight ends that changed how people thought about his position. The NFL Throwback video highlights, “In 1980, the Hall of Famer set a then tight end record for catches and yards.” Like a flash of lightning, he moved on the field too fast for linebackers and too big for defensive backs. The final honorable mention is TE Ron Mix, who was a 9-time AFL All-pro.

Now, let’s zip forward to the present, where Dan Fouts, the original ‘Air Coryell’ pilot, is playing hype man for the Chargers’ future. At a recent Bolts golf shindig, Fouts was more excited than a kid on Christmas morning about the team’s direction under new head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert.

“I’m very excited about this year,” Fouts gushed. “I think Coach Harbaugh has got the team already headed in the right direction.”

But it’s Fouts’ connection with Herbert that gets the voltage flowing. Both Oregon Ducks turned Chargers, it’s a match made in football heaven. “He’s so good. And he’s such a good kid,” Fouts praised Herbert, adding, “You talk about a bond, well, birds of a feather flock together, you know? We were all Ducks at one point.”

This Duck-to-Duck connection runs deeper than a Philip Rivers long bomb, and also Fouts unveiled a long-standing friendship with Herbert’s family including his grandpa. It’s all about the Chargers’ football family reunion.

The Bolts are preparing for their season opener against the Raiders in 2024; it doesn’t get better than that! Fouts’ stamp of approval on this team means a lot. It’s Like ‘Air Coryell’ is blessing this franchise’s future days of high-flying Chargers football.

From yesteryears’ legends to tomorrow’s stars, Charger’s tale is as thrilling as a last-minute touchdown drive. “This is my team … and it’s good to be able to follow a team that’s on the rise. They have been trying to touch the Super Bowl summit since Lance Alworth played. Bolt up, folks- the future looks so bright like a summer day in SoCal!