The San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 35th season in the National Football League (NFL), its 45th overall and the third under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. It was the franchise's first season involving quarterback Philip Rivers. The team improved on their 4âÂÂ12 record in 2003 and finished the regular season 12âÂÂ4, made the playoffs for the first time in nine years, and captured their first division title since the 1994 season. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets. At the end of the season Marty Schottenheimer was named NFL Coach of the Year.
Entering the draft, the consensus top pick was Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning. However, Manning had said prior to the draft that he did not want to play for the Chargers and would not sign with them if he was drafted. The Chargers struck a deal with the Giants before the draft that would shape the future of both franchises: the Chargers would select Manning first overall, as they had intended to, and the Giants would draft quarterback Philip Rivers of North Carolina State and then swap him and two 2005 draft picks for Manning.
San Diego clinches its first division title since 1994.
Chargers lost but in 2005 missed the playoffs at 9-7.
Three Chargers were named to the 2005 Pro Bowl, and four were named first or second team Associated Press (AP) All-Pros. Brees won the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year with of the 48 available votes, and Schottenheimer took the Coach of the Year award with out of 48. Also, Brees and Tomlinson gained a vote each for Offensive Player of the Year, and Edwards gained a vote for Defensive Player of the Year.