Los Angeles Chargers: Reliving team’s 5 most disappointing seasons

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24 Dec 2000: Quarterback Ryan Leaf #16 of the San Diego Chargers looks to pass the ball during the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Steelers defeated the Chargers 34-21.Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport /

When speaking of disappointment and the NFL in the same sentence, the Los Angeles Chargers have to be one of the first teams that come to mind.

The Chargers have been around since the early 1960s. In that time, they have won one AFL Championship and appeared in one Super Bowl. There hasn’t been a ton of success, despite the team having two of the best quarterbacks in league history, one of the best running backs the game has ever seen and one of the best defensive players of all-time.

So what has held the Chargers back? What has kept the team from reaching the pinnacle of the sport? Are the Chargers under some sort of hex from the football Gods or is it just a string of some really bad luck?

Chargers fans have suffered through this disappointment through multiple generations, including watching the team move from San Diego to Los Angeles.

Of course, some seasons have been much more disappointing than others. At one point, fans came to expect a disappointing season because the team was so bad during long stretches of time. But the team has also built contenders and because of that, disappointment has followed when expectations have risen.

What are some of the most disappointing seasons in Chargers history? Here’s a chance to look back on the five most excruciating seasons, for one reason or another, in chronological order.