Frank Cornish, C-OG
David Diaz-lnfante, G
Kelvin Garmon, G
Jim Leonard, G
Scott Mruczkowski, C
Ray Smoot, G-T
The Winner
"Did you say something funny about my neck pad??"
Doug Wilkerson, G
14 frickin’ seasons as an offensive lineman in the NFL. 14! That’s fourteen years of getting beat up, assaulted, and basically mugged on every play. Wait a second… this all sounds familiar. Yes, as was often the case in there playing days: as Don Macek goes, so goes Doug Wilkerson. They both played 14 seasons for the Chargers – nine of them together. Not sure if they finished each other’s sentences, but I’ll bet they could recognize each other’s scents. And as a reward for their service, back-to-back uncontested Golden Jerseys.
Two things stand out for me as it relates to Wilkerson – well, three if you count the ubiquitous neck pad. The Chargers were not his first team! He actually played one year with the Oilers, having been drafted by them in the 1st round (why they got rid of him, I’ll never know). So he actually played 15 SEASONS in the NFL.
The other thing was his size. Wilkerson was as big as a modern day linebacker. Or should I say, as small. 6’3, 250. How far we’ve come. But how far Wilkerson went. Three Pro Bowls and the Charges Hall of Fame. And now a Golden