2004 San Diego Chargers season


The San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League, its 44th overall and the third under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. The team improved on their 4–12 record in 2003 and finished the regular season 12–4 and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years, as it was the team's first division title since the 1994 season. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets. At the end of the season Marty Schottenheimer was named NFL Coach of the Year.

Offseason

NFL draft

Entering the draft, the consensus top pick was Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning. However, Manning had said prior to the draft that he did not want to play for the Chargers and would not sign with them if he was drafted. The Chargers would strike a deal with the Giants before the draft that would shape the future of both franchises. The Chargers would select Manning first overall, as they had intended to. The Giants would then draft quarterback Philip Rivers of North Carolina State, and then swap him and two 2005 draft picks for Manning.

Personnel

Staff

Roster

Regular season

Schedule

In addition to their regular games with AFC West rivals, the Chargers played games against the AFC South and NFC South as per the schedule rotation, and also played against the New York Jets and Cleveland Browns who finished fourth in the other AFC divisions in 2003.

Standings

Game summaries

Week 1: at Houston Texans




San Diego clinches its first division title since 1994.

Week 16: at Indianapolis Colts

Game summaries

Wild Card: vs. New York Jets