1960 Los Angeles Chargers season


The 1960 Los Angeles Chargers season was the team's inaugural season and also the inaugural season of the American Football League. Head coach Sid Gillman led the Chargers to the AFL Western Division title with a 10–4 record, in the team's only season in Los Angeles until its 2017 return, with its home field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
The season concluded with the AFL championship game against the Houston Oilers of the Eastern Division, held at Jeppesen Stadium in Houston on New Year's Day. The teams had split their two games in the regular season, with the home teams winning, and the host Oilers were 6 1/2-point favorites to win the title. Down by a point after three quarters, the Chargers gave up an 88-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and lost, 24–16.
The Chargers had the right to host for the first ever AFL national championship game at the Los Angeles Coliseum. However as its attendance for home games was falling below 10,000 league and television officials fearing that showing empty seats in the 100,000+ seat Coliseum persuaded the Chargers to give up the advantage and move the game to Houston.
Initially denied in December, but announced in late January, owner Barron Hilton relocated the Chargers down the coast to a soon-to-be expanded Balboa Stadium in San Diego for the 1961 season.
The Chargers would later return to Los Angeles to rejoin the Rams in 2017, 57 years later.

AFL draft

Roster

Season schedule

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Playoffs

WeekDateOpponentResultVenueAttendance
ChampionshipJanuary 1, 1961Houston OilersL 24–16Jeppesen Stadium
32,183

Standings