The 2010s were a fairly turbulent decade for the Los Angeles Chargers. Five seasons saw them finish with winning records, but only twice did they make the playoffs (one of those being a 12-4 season). It ultimately saw the end of the Philip Rivers era, which ended without any Super Bowl berths. Thus, despite a couple of bright years, the 2010s was ultimately most a decade of disappointment. But there still was a fair share of good players that came and went during that time. Here, we’ll get to see those players who did the best for the team during the decade and deserve to be remembered for their efforts. So without further ado, here is the 2010s Los Angeles Chargers All-Decade Team. This article focuses on the offense.
Los Angeles Chargers All-Decade Team: Defense/Special Teams
2010s Los Angeles Chargers All-Decade Team: The Offense
Quarterback: Philip Rivers
This one’s pretty easy, not just because of how well Rivers played during his years with the Chargers, but because he’s literally the only starting quarterback they had the entire decade. He has not missed a single game since he took over back in 2006. A few of his best years came during the 2010s. He led the league in passing yards in 2010 (4,710), and in completion percentage in 2013 (69.5%). He made the Pro Bowl six times during the decade and got an NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2013. There’s not a ton that can be said about Rivers that hasn’t already been said at this point, but he was arguably the best quarterback the Chargers ever had. The team and their fans will miss him.
Running Back: Melvin Gordon
General opinion on Melvin Gordon is pretty down right now after the floundering season he had in 2019. But from 2016 to 2018, Gordon was quite a solid runner. He may not have always been the most consistent, but he had his big plays. He had the one 1,000-yard season in 2017, but he would’ve likely crossed that mark in both 2016 (came up three yards short that year) and 2018 had he played all 16 games. His biggest attracting factor, however, was his nose for the end zone. He had at least ten total touchdowns in each of those three years. Gordon may not be missed much by some right now, but he still played fairly well for a few years.
Wide Receiver: Keenan Allen
Keenan Allen has been one of the biggest bright spots for the Chargers not named Philip Rivers for the entire decade. A tremendous route-runner with reliable hands and surprisingly solid after-the-catch ability, Allen quickly raised eyebrows in his rookie year with a 1,000-yard season. He had a couple of downer years shortly after that due to injuries. That included tearing his ACL in Week 1 of 2016. But he bounced back in 2017 and came back arguably better than ever. He hasn’t missed a game since and has made each of the last three Pro Bowls. He’s also had two 100+ catch seasons. Allen is arguably a top ten receiver in this league, and easily the best receiver the Chargers have had in the decade.
Wide Receiver: Mike Williams
This guy only had two seasons of any significance during the 2010s. However, they were a couple of pretty good ones and helped finally give the Chargers a great wide receiver duo between him and Allen. 2018 saw him break out as he had 664 yards and 10 touchdowns (plus one rushing), thus becoming one of the team’s main scoring threats during their big 12-4 season. He was also able to step into the role of #1 receiver during an important game where Allen got hurt against the Kansas City Chiefs, by having three touchdowns and the game-winning two-point conversion. His 2019 season was even better despite the team’s overall struggles. He had his first 1,000-yard season, as well as an absurd 20.4 yards per catch – the best in the league that year. The Chargers have a lot to look forward to with Williams.
Wide Receiver: Malcom Floyd
Fans with good memories may notice at this point that Vincent Jackson has been left off this list. While he was probably the second-best wide receiver Rivers had, he also played only two seasons for the Chargers in the 2010s – one of which was almost a lost season due to injuries and a holdout. For an overall decade impact, he doesn’t really make the cut here. Malcom Floyd, on the other hand – who was basically the same general type of receiver – had most of his best years during the 2010s. He never crossed the 1,000-yard threshold (856 was his best season). However, he was a reliable deep threat for Rivers for years. He averaged over 19 yards a catch in both 2010 and 2011. Though he was never elite, he was a longtime fan favorite for the Chargers and contributed enough in the decade to make this list.
Tight End: Antonio Gates
Antonio Gates’s truly best years may have come during the 2000s, but he was still a very dangerous tight end and remained in his prime until around 2016. And even beyond that once Hunter Henry became the new top dog at tight end, Gates was still virtually impossible to cover with a linebacker. He garnered two Pro Bowl berths during the 2010s, had two seasons with 10 or more touchdowns, and generally Rivers’ favorite target for a while. Gates is retired now, but has a Hall of Fame enshrining in his future.
Left Tackle: Russell Okung
The Chargers did not have a lot of great offensive linemen during the 2010s. In fact, only three made the Pro Bowl at any point. Russell Okung was one of them; he was there from 2017 to 2019. He got his second career Pro Bowl berth in 2017 and was a starter on the offensive line on the 2018 12-4 team. Okung missed almost half of the 2019 season due to a non-football health issue. His absence during that time was felt.
Left Guard: Kris Dielman
Dielman – one of the stars of the late 2000s Chargers offensive line – barely fits in on this list, because he only played one full season for the Chargers in the 2010s; 2011 saw him get a nasty concussion six games in that ended his season, and he retired afterwards. The problem is, no one else at left guard has even come close to being as good over the past decade. Dan Feeney would be your next best bet, and he’s hardly a fan favorite. Still, that one full year in 2010 was pretty good for Dielman, as he made his fourth straight Pro Bowl.
Center: Nick Hardwick
This was the only offensive line position with much legitimate competition. Mike Pouncey could’ve ended up here as the center during their stellar 2018 season which got him a Pro Bowl berth. But Hardwick was a solid, stable spot at center for Rivers and the Chargers for years. He started every game from 2010 to 2013, making him still an integral part of the other 2010s Chargers playoff team.
Right Guard: D.J. Fluker
By the time D.J. Fluker left the Chargers, he wasn’t really that popular… mainly because he did not live up to his 11th overall pick billing at all. Thing is, he wasn’t bad either. He’s been able to keep his career alive since leaving the Chargers for a reason. And he was a generally pretty stable starter, never missing more than a few games a season. Of course, Fluker probably still wouldn’t normally make an All-Decade list… but it’s definitely slim pickings at this position.
Right Tackle: Jeromey Clary
Another carry-over from the late 2000s Chargers offensive line. Clary wasn’t spectacular, but was still above average and (at least from 2010 to 2013) was a stable starter on the o-line. And given his start as a sixth-round pick that rose to the starting lineup out of nowhere, he ultimately did fairly well for himself.
Main Photo:
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