LA Chargers countdown to 2020: Best number 69 in team history

There are 69 days until the LA Chargers are back in action.

Counting today, there are officially 69 days until the LA Chargers kick-off their 2020 season in Week 1 against first overall pick Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. That is, as long as everything goes as planned for the 2020 NFL season.

To count down the 2020 season, we have been naming the best players in team history to wear every number that coincides with the number of days remaining until the 2020 season. Thus far, not a single member of the current Chargers roster has taken home the honors.

That streak is finally going to end with the number 69 and out of everyone on the LA Chargers, this may come as the biggest surprise.

The best number 69 in LA Chargers’ history: Sam Tevi

No great player has ever worn the number 69 for the LA Chargers and that is obvious by who is named as the best player to wear the number in team history. Sam Tevi is a current tackle for the Chargers and as poor as he has been at times, he has done the most while wearing the number, thus earning the title as the best ever.

Tevi is a depth-worthy tackle that has been thrust into a starting role in the last two seasons and has not been very good as a result. He has posted a Pro Football Focus grade under 60 in each of the last two seasons, although he did get better last year with a 59.8 rating.

However, he also allowed eight sacks last season, which was the fourth-most in the NFL. Tevi was part of the Chargers’ offensive line problem last season and if someone gets hurt and Tevi is starting in 2020 then the Bolts are going to be in trouble yet again, barring a miraculous turnaround.

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The number is seemingly bad luck in Chargers’ history. The next-best player in team history, in terms of Approximate Value, is Tyronne Green, who was just as mediocre as Tevi if not worse. He was another depth offensive lineman that was thrust into starting roles and was not great.

Les Miller wore the number for three years and he did have one decent year with the Chargers in which he started 10 games and had two fumble-return touchdowns, but he still did not do much and was not a starter in his other two seasons.

Miller’s best was better than the best we have seen out of Tevi thus far, but Tevi’s 30 starts give him the edge.

The number 69 is definitely the weakest number that we have analyzed thus far and it is shocking that Sam Tevi of all people is the first current Charger to earn the honor.