Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Shame: Worst breakup and more

After celebrating the Chargers by highlighting their players who could someday be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, we flip the script to give you Los Angeles' Hall of Shame.

Worst breakup: RB LaDainian Tomlinson

The Chargers — then based in San Diego — released the running back in February 2010 after he battled injuries and his production declined over the two previous seasons. Tomlinson blamed the Chargers for his regression, claiming it started when they replaced head coach Marty Schottenheimer with Norv Turner. 

"In San Diego, everything was taken away from me," Tomlinson said in reference to Turner. 

Chargers general manager A.J. Smith refuted Tomlinson's comments, saying, "It's the team that will win a world championship, not a bunch of individuals." 

Neither party won the split. Tomlinson played for the Jets for two more seasons before retiring in 2011. The Chargers missed the playoffs for the next three seasons. The organization fired Smith and Turner in December 2012.

Worst draft pick: QB Ryan Leaf 

The comparisons between Leaf and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning defined the 1998 NFL Draft. Michael Silver of Sports Illustrated noted that some NFL executives, scouts and coaches believed Leaf was the "potential mother lode" of quarterbacks.

Instead, Leaf was a colossal bust. In 21 games for the Chargers, he completed 48 percent of his passes, threw more interceptions (33) than touchdown passes (13) and went 4-14 as a starter. 

He also embarrassed the organization, screaming at San Diego Union-Tribune sportswriter Jay Posner in an infamous locker-room tirade during his rookie year. After two seasons, the organization released him. He would play one more season, with the Cowboys, before retiring in 2002.

Leaf has admitted he's one of the biggest draft flops ever. 

"If I'm going to be the biggest bust, I have to own up to it," he told the Los Angeles Times in 2010.

Worst free-agency signing: WR David Boston

After four solid seasons with the Cardinals — where Boston had 241 receptions for 3,739 yards and made First-Team All-Pro in 2001 — the Chargers signed Boston to a seven-year, $47M deal with $12M guaranteed in 2003. 

Boston only played one season for the Chargers. He posted a decent stat line, logging 70 receptions for 880 yards and seven touchdowns in 14 games. Yet given the size of his contract, his performance fell below expectations. He also caused issues in the locker room, breaking team rules multiple times.

In 2004, the Chargers traded Boston to the Dolphins. Afterward, his career spiraled downward. Boston missed the 2004 season with a knee injury and only caught four passes in 10 games during his final season in 2005.

Worst loss: 1981 AFC Championship on Jan. 10, 1982

The 1981 season's AFC Championship Game was dubbed the Freezer Bowl. At kickoff in Cincinnati, the temperature was nine degrees below zero with a minus 59-degree wind chill, making it the coldest game in NFL history. 

Chargers QB Dan Fouts, a future Hall of Famer, suffered frostbite during the game. The weather clearly froze his high-powered offense, which led the league in scoring that season. In a 27-7 loss against the Bengals, Sad Diego had four turnovers. Fouts, the league's leader in passing yards that season, went 15-of-28 for 185 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.

The championship window closed after the loss. The Chargers, who moved to Los Angeles for the 2017 season, didn't make another conference title game appearance until the 1994 playoffs.