LA Chargers countdown to 2020: Best number 53 in team history

We are 53 days away from the LA Chargers’ scheduled return to action.

Counting today, there are officially 53 more days until the LA Chargers take on first overall pick Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season. Of course, that is assuming that the season goes forward as planned without any interruptions.

To count down the 2020 season, we have been naming the best player in team history to wear each number that coincides with the number of days remaining until that scheduled Week 1 matchup.

It is hard to believe that we are already down to the number 53, meaning we are just under halfway through this series. Thus far, only two current members of the LA Chargers have been named the best to ever wear their number.

The best number 53 in team history is a somewhat recent player that was a big part of the Chargers’ lone Super Bowl appearance.

Best number 53 in LA Chargers history: Courtney Hall

Courtney Hall was drafted in the second round of the 1989 NFL Draft by the Chargers and instantly became a starter for the team at just 21 years old.

Hall spent eight seasons with the Chargers and was a full-time starter in every single year. He was the team’s starting center in every year outside of his second year when he took over starting left guard duties. Prior to his last season (1996), Hall only missed one game for the Chargers in seven years.

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Hall was never named to a Pro Bowl but was the Pro Bowl first alternate four times in his career. He was never one of the elite interior linemen in the league but he was certainly well above-average and was an important anchor to the offensive line that led the Chargers to the Super Bowl in the 1994 season.

In terms of historical comparison to those that have worn number 53 for the Chargers it is not even close. Hall accumulated a career Approximate Value of 65 with the Bolts. The next best number 53 was Ralph Perretta, who only accumulated a career 15 AV with the Chargers.

Mike Pouncey is the current number 53 for the LA Chargers and while he is a solid center he will never come close to what Hall accomplished with the Bolts. Pouncey would have to play another five seasons of great football and stay healthy to be on that same level and that is likely not going to happen with his age.