All-Time Chargers QBs Ranked: Rivers #1, Fouts #2

Dan Fouts

#14 · Los Angeles Chargers
Retired 15 Years In The NFL
🏆 NFL Offensive Player of the Year (1982)
Dan's
HAIR
36.6
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Dan Fouts or the Chargers?

Dan Fouts Legacy

HEYTC AI
Dan Fouts was a gunslinger who arrived in San Diego just as the game was ready for him. The third-round pick became the architect of Don Coryell's revolutionary "Air Coryell" offense, a passing attack so ahead of its time it redefined what quarterbacks could accomplish. He owned the early '80s like few ever have—four straight passing yards titles, two touchdown crowns, and that unforgettable 433-yard playoff performance against Miami that announced the modern NFL had arrived. Never reached a Super Bowl, yet earned Hall of Fame induction on his first ballot anyway, a rare honor reserved for the transcendent. Fouts didn't just throw touchdowns; he threw the future.

Dan Fouts Rating Breakdown

Season
Average
Fantasy
Average
Playoffs
Average
Overall
Slaps
15 years with the Chargers

Dan Fouts Career Stats via Wikipedia

43,040 Pass Yards
254 Touchdowns
242 INTs
58.8% Comp %
36.6 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Dan Fouts

How does Justin Herbert compare to Dan Fouts?

Justin Herbert's got the arm and moxie to chase Dan Fouts's bolt-slinging ghost, but Fouts owns the Air Coryell era with three straight AFC West crowns and 43,040 yards that ranked second all-time at retirement—pure Don Coryell wizardry. Herbert's early fireworks scream potential, yet Fouts's 254 TDs and Epic in Miami legend (433 playoff yards!) set a bar that's more Murph Man than rookie flash.

Is Dan Fouts in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Dan Fouts ain't in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, despite piloting those wild Air Coryell shootouts to AFC title games and shattering passing records left and right. Some California hall nods his way, but the big bronze bust? Still waiting, which feels like snubbing the guy who redefined downfield bombs.

What is Dan Fouts doing now in 2026?

In 2026, Dan Fouts is kicking back after decades calling games for ESPN and ABC—think sideline yarns with Musburger and Jackson. No fresh headlines on ventures, but the old gunslinger likely golfs, hits charity tosses, or dissects film like it's 1982, savoring those 4,800-yard seasons without the daily grind.

How would Dan Fouts perform in today's NFL?

Fouts would feast in today's pass-happy NFL—defenseless cushions, no bump-and-run bullies, and rules begging for his laser rockets. That 36.6 passer rating from the '80s stone age? Irrelevant now; he'd rack 5,000-yard seasons weekly, turning Air Coryell into prime-time MVPs, not just Pro Bowls.

How does Dan Fouts compare to Stan Humphries?

Dan Fouts towers over Stan Humphries as the Chargers' true pocket maestro—Fouts's 36.6 passer rating edges Humphries' 32.37, but it's the 43,040 yards, 254 TDs, and three division titles versus Stan's '94 AFC crown that scream dynasty pilot. Humphries was gritty; Fouts was the original Herbert prototype.