LA Chargers countdown to 2020: Best number 94 in team history

We are 94 days away from seeing the LA Chargers in action in 2020.

Counting today, we are officially 94 days away from the LA Chargers kicking off their 2020 season against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1.

To countdown the 2020 season, we have been bringing you the greatest players in team history to wear the number that coincides with how many days are remaining until Week 1. So far, no current Chargers have made the cut.

That will continue as well, as the Chargers’ current number 94 is P.J. Johnson, a second-year defensive tackle who spent his time last season on the practice squad after being waived by the Detroit Lions.

The best number 94 in team history is, however, a very recent player.

Greatest number 94 in LA Chargers’ history: Corey Liuget

Corey Liuget is the greatest player in LA Chargers’ history to wear number 94 and it is not really even close. The only other player to make any sort of impact wearing number 94 was Chris Mims in the 90s and while he was a solid player, he was no Corey Liuget.

Liuget was a staple of the Chargers’ defensive line during the 2010s and was one of the most overlooked defensive tackles in the entire league. He played for the Bolts from 2011 until 2018, starting all but two games that he played in up until the 2018 season.

Liuget was never an elite defensive tackle for the Chargers but he was consistent as consistent can be and played 16 games in four of his season with the Chargers, never missing more than five games in a season.

Legendary LA Chargers numbers that should be retired

Liuget finished his Chargers career with 24 total sacks, 274 combined tackles, 64 tackles for a loss, 55 quarterback hits and five forced fumbles. His best season was either 2012 or 2014. In 2012 he recorded a career-high seven sacks with 51 combined tackles and 11 tackles for loss.

In 2014, he recorded 4.5 sacks, a career-high 57 combined tackles and a career-high 13 tackles for loss. He also had a fumble recovery touchdown that season.

From 2012 to 2017, which served as Liuget’s prime, he ranked 11th among defensive tackles in total combined tackles (number one was new Charger, Linval Joseph), 14th in sacks and seventh in tackles for loss.

He was right around the 10th-best defensive tackle in the NFL during his prime with the Chargers and that should not be forgotten, even if he did get overlooked by the casual everyday NFL fan.

Corey Liuget played in 10 games in 2019, seven with Buffalo and three with Oakland, only appearing in a total of 180 defensive snaps.