There are 46 more days until we hopefully see the LA Chargers back in action.
We have been counting down the 2020 NFL season here at Bolt Beat and counting today, we are officially 46 days away from the LA Chargers‘ scheduled Week 1 matchup against first overall pick Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals. Of course, that is assuming that the 2020 NFL season goes as planned.
As part of the countdown, we have been naming the best players in franchise history to wear every number that coincides with the number of days remaining. Thus far, only Melvin Ingram and Sam Tevi, of all people, have earned the honor as current players.
The greatest number 46 in team history is not a current player and represents one of the best trades in Chargers’ history in an era where trades were not all that common. His prime was short-lived with the Bolts but he was elite when he was in his prime.
The best number 46 in LA Chargers’ history: Charlie Muncie
Charlie Muncie was traded to the Chargers after four games in the 1980 season as he was unhappy with being in the city of New Orleans and was not meshing well with the team or the coaching staff.
At that point in his career, Muncie was a one-time Pro Bowler and was coming off that Pro Bowl season in which he recorded 1,198 yards.
He only carried the ball 135 times in 12 games with the Chargers and picked up 659 yards and four touchdowns. Not the most impressive numbers but it was a great prelude about what was going to come next.
Muncie returned to his Pro Bowl form the following year for the Bolts. He was tasked with 252 carries and picked up 1,144 yards and 19 touchdowns. Muncie led the league in touchdowns that season and tied Jim Taylor‘s and Earl Campbell‘s record for the most touchdowns in a single season.
That record, of course, now belongs to a different Charger in LaDainian Tomlinson with 28.
Muncie’s 1982 Pro Bowl season was fantastic as well. He picked up 569 yards on 138 attempts with eight touchdowns. There were only nine games that season because of a player strike and over 16 games Muncie was on pace for 1,011 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Muncie picked up another 886 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1983. Even with the nine-game season, Muncie is second in franchise history in rushing touchdowns with 43, albeit he is very far behind Tomlinson’s 138.
But to be fair, Muncie recorded 43 touchdowns in only 41 starts. Muncie averaged more touchdowns per start than Tomlinson did.