It’s been long overdue, but former Chargers head coach Don Coryell has finally been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Coryell coached the Chargers from 1978-1986, posting a 72-60 record. Under him, the Bolts won three division titles and played in four divisional playoff games and two AFC championship games.
But it’s not what he accomplished while serving as the head coach, it’s how he revolutionized the game. The “Air Coryell” offense marked the beginning of the NFL’s transformation from a run-first league to one where passing reigned supreme.
Quarterback Dan Fouts led the league in passing yards four straight seasons (1979-1982) and became the first player to surpass 4,000 yards in three consecutive seasons.
Coryell’s offense forced defenses to bring in extra defensive backs to slow the passing attack, which we refer to as nickel and dime defenses nowadays.
Coryell passed away on July 1, 2010 in La Mesa, CA at the age of 85.