2001 San Diego Chargers season

Infobox NFL_season
team = San Diego Chargers
year = 2001
record = 5-11
division_place = 5th AFC West
coach = Mike Riley
stadium = Qualcomm Stadium
playoffs = Did not qualifyThe 2001 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 1-15 record in 2000. It was Mike Riley's final season as the teams head coach. At the end of the season running back LaDainian Tomlinson won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Offseason

NFL Draft

Vick was selected in the 2001 NFL Draft as the first overall pick and first African American quarterback taken number 1 in the NFL Draft. The San Diego Chargers had the number one selection spot in the draft that year but traded the rights to the first overall choice to the Atlanta Falcons a day before the draft, for which they received the Falcons' first round pick (5th overall) and third round pick in 2001 (used to draft CB Tay Cody), a second round pick in 2002 (used to draft WR Reche Caldwell) and WR/KR Tim Dwight. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/columns/story?columnist=pasquarelli_len&id=2670541 ESPN - Chargers big winner in different draft-day deal - NFL ] ] With the Chargers' downgraded spot (the 5th overall), they selected Texas Christian University running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who went on to become league MVP in 2006 [ [http://football.about.com/od/nflhistory/l/bl_awardsmvp.htm NFL Most Valuable Players - NFL MVP Player of the Year ] ] . Although Vick has never become league MVP, he finished second in voting in 2004. [cite web |author=Barry Wilner |title=Manning NFL MVP again: 49 TDs, passing rating of 121.1 make Colts QB near-unanimous pick |publisher="The Decatur Daily" |date=2005-01-11 |url=http://www.decaturdaily.com/decaturdaily/sports/050111/nfl.shtml |accessdate=2007-05-23 ] In this way, Tomlinson and Vick are linked as having been "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks and contract negotiations.

Regular Season

eason Standings

eason Schedule

Roster

Awards and Honors

ee also

*2001 NFL season

References