The 1976 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's seventh season in the National Football League (NFL), and its 17th overall. The Chargers improved on their 2–12 record from 1975 and finished 6–8, but missed the playoffs for the 11th straight season. The Chargers started off the season by winning their first 3 games, but they struggled through the rest of the season by losing 8 of their last 11 games, which included 4 shutout losses, two of which were to division rival Denver.
Future Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh spent this season as the Chargers' offensive coordinator, before moving on to Stanford University at the end of the year. Despite the shutouts, he oversaw a general improvement in the offense, as their yards per game improved from second-worst to 11th-best in the NFL. The Chargers began to pass more often, with quarterback Dan Fouts setting new career highs in every major passing category. He was aided by the acquisition of veteran wide receiver Charlie Joiner, who joined the team in a trade for defensive lineman Coy Bacon. Joiner was one of only three players league-wide to have over 1,000 receiving yards in 1976.
With Bacon having departed, the Chargers brought in Leroy Jones to join 2nd-year players Louie Kelcher, Gary "Big Hands" Johnson and Fred Dean on the defensive line. This would become a strong unit in the years ahead, known as the Bruise Brothers. In 1976, however, the Chargers defense ranked only 22nd in the league, with their pass defense ranked 27th out of 28 teams.
Offseason
Departures & Arrivals
San Diego were involved in a significant trade in April, sending defensive end Coy Bacon to Cincinnati in exchange for wide receiver Charlie Joiner. Bacon was an eight-year veteran who had spent the past three seasons in San Diego. While he had posted 10 sacks in 1975, he was a critic of the Chargers organization who had frequently asked to be traded. Joiner had spent three and a half seasons in Houston before playing with the Bengals for the same length of time - his 1975 season had been the most productive of his career to that point in terms of catches (37) and yards (726). He had an immediate impact, with four consecutive 100-yard games early in the season, and a final total of 1,056 yards, third best in the league. Joiner was voted to the Pro Bowl; quarterback Dan Fouts described him as the best receiver he had played with, praising his intelligence. It was also the start of a long and successful spell in San Diego, covering 11 seasons and including three Pro Bowl nominations and a 1st-Team All-Pro nomination. Joiner eventually retired with the NFL career records for receptions and receiving yards, and was later inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Other changes to the offense included the departure of two offensive line starters. Guard Ira Gordon had started every game the past two seasons, but joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the expansion draft. Tackle Terry Owens had started over 100 games for the Chargers since being drafted by them in 1966, though he had missed half the previous season with a back injury. A trade to the Saints fell through because Owens had been placed on injured reserve the previous season; he was waived and claimed by the Raiders instead. Like Bacon, Owens parted with the Chargers on bad terms, describing them as a 'dog' team. At running back, the Chargers added two-time Super Bowl winner Mercury Morris, though he retired after only one season in San Diego.
To replace the departing Bacon, the Chargers brought in a new defensive end. Leroy Jones had started his professional career in Edmonton, before being signed by the Los Angeles Rams on 6 May. On 6 September, Jones was traded to San Diego for an undisclosed draft pick. Jones went on to start 90 games and post 45 sacks during an eight-year career in San Diego, playing on the defensive line unit that would become known as the Bruise Brothers. The Chargers also brought in defensive tackle Charles DeJurnett from the Southern California Sun of the World Football League. Though primarily a backup, he had sacks during his five years in San Diego. On special teams, long-serving punter Dennis Partee lost his job to former Cowboy Mitch Hoopes. Partee had missed only a single game in eight years with the Chargers, but he had struggled with a back injury in 1975, and his average yards per kick had declined. Hoopes himself was cut and replaced with Jeff West during the season.