48 days until LA Chargers football: No. 48 Tim Fox was a short-lived standout

We are 48 days away from the LA Chargers being back in action.

Starting at the 99 days mark, we have been counting down the days until the LA Chargers‘ scheduled Week 1 matchup against first overall pick Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals.

To count down the 2020 season, we have been naming the best players in franchise history to wear the coinciding numbers with how many days are remaining. Thus far, only two current Chargers — Melvin Ingram and Sam Tevi — have been named the best to wear their number.

There are officially, counting today, 48 more days until we see the LA Chargers back in action. That is, as long as things go as scheduled for the 2020 NFL season and it starts on time. With that in mind, we bring you the best player in franchise history to wear the number 48.

The best number 48 in LA Chargers history: Tim Fox

Tim Fox joined the Chargers prior to the 1982 season after spending six seasons with the New England Patriots, the team that drafted Fox in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft. Fox earned one Pro Bowl honor in his career, occurring two years before he became a Chargers in 1980.

However, Fox’s best season might have been his first with the Chargers and is the lone reason why he is our choice for the best number 48 in team history. Fox tied a career-high in interceptions with four and set a career-high in interception return yards with 103.

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He did all that despite only playing seven games for the Chargers. The 1982 season was only a nine-game season because of a players’strike. Fox was on a 16-game pace of nine interceptions. Of course, that was not a given.

It was the best year of his career in terms of Approximate Value as well, as Fox registered 11 AV. His next best was eight.

Terrence Kiel is actually the team’s all-time leader in AV among players who have worn the number 48 with 21 (Fox only accumulated 19). However, with the numbers being so close and Kiel getting one extra year with the Bolts, we have to give the honor to the guy who had the best overall season of the two.

Fox spent three seasons in San Diego before joining the Rams to wrap up the last two seasons of his career.

Fox has since become a businessman and has been a subject in the scientific research of CTE in former football players.