Legendary ex-San Diego Chargers coach Don Coryell has finally made his place into the coveted NFL Hall of Fame decades after revolutionizing the game. He is one of nine new members to make their way into the Pro Football Hall of Fame and cement their legacy in Canton on Saturday, August 5 at noon.
Who was Don Coryell?
He worked as a coach at the high school, college, and professional levels. His most prominent position in the NCAA was with the San Diego State Aztecs. He then transitioned to the NFL, first with the St. Louis Cardinals from 1973 to 1977, and then the San Diego Chargers from 1978 to 1986. He was known for his innovations in football’s passing game, in particular the Air Coryell offense he created with the Chargers.
Coryell began his career as a professional coach in 1973 with the Cardinals, where he spent five years and guided the team to three 10-win seasons, including the only two divisional championships of their 28-year stay in St. Louis.
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After a disagreement with Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill, he resigned and joined the Chargers at the start of the 1978 season. Over the course of the following eight years, he guided San Diego to three division crowns and one further playoff spot. Coryell solidified his reputation as an offensive innovator and passing game expert while playing for the Chargers.
San Diego was the league leader in passing yards six times in a row and seven times overall, as well as in total yards gained five times and points scored three times. Coryell’s defenses tended to be much weaker, and after the 1980 and 1981 seasons, the Chargers lost to the AFC champions, preventing him from leading them to the Super Bowl. After a 1-7 start in 1986, owner Alex Spanos fired him, and he never coached again.
