The Chargers announced late Friday afternoon that they'd reached an agreement on a two-year contract with free agent cornerback Donald Strickland, formerly of the New York Jets.

The 5-10, 185-pound Strickland played in 11 games with two starts for the Jets in 2009, including a reserve role in New York's Divisional Playoff win in San Diego. He finished the year with 25 tackles, two sacks, four passes defensed and three tackles for loss. He also contributed nine tackles on special teams. Strickland saw action off the bench in the Chargers' playoff game against the Jets, collecting three tackles and a pass defensed.

Strickland will be 29 years old at the start of the 2010 season. He came to the NFL in 2003 as a third-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts and spent two and a half seasons in Indianapolis before being waived midway through the 2005 season. He would later sign with Philadelphia for the remainder of the '05 season before spending the 2006-08 seasons in San Francisco.

His regular-season career totals include 58 games played, 24 starts, 185 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, 20 passes defensed and 38 tackles on special teams.  Strickland has also played in five career postseason games, racking up 21 tackles and seven passes defensed.

A native of San Francisco, Strickland prepped at Archbishop Riordan High School before an All-Big-12 career at the University of Colorado. His uncle, Raymond Bell, played at UCLA and his cousin, Herb Ward, played at Southern California and in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys. Strickland's father, Donald, is a retired photographer for the NBC affiliate, KNTV-11 in the Bay Area.

The 5-9, 215-pound former All-America running back from Youngstown State spent the better part of his first two NFL seasons on the practice squads of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens before getting an opportunity to play last season for the Redskins. In nine games in '09, Mason averaged just under 4.0 yards per carry, toting the ball 32 times for 127 yards. He will attempt to earn a roster spot on a team in San Diego that averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last season.

"We've followed his progress through his young career," said General Manager A.J. Smith, "and when he came available, we decided to give him an opportunity to earn a spot with the Chargers."

The 25-year-old Mason played two collegiate seasons at YSU after transferring from the University of Illinois. He averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per carry in two seasons for the Penguins, racking up 2,739 yards and 31 touchdowns on 478 carries. He set a school record with 1,847 yards as a senior, en route to being named Offensive Player of the Year for the Gateway Conference.

The Redskins signed Mason as a free agent in 2007. He spent one week on their active roster, though he did not appear in a game, and the rest of the season on Washington's practice squad. In 2008, Washington released Mason following training camp and the preseason in which he led the NFL in rushing with 371 yards on 66 carries, a 4.8-yard average. That year Mason would spend eight weeks on Baltimore's practice squad and six more weeks on the New York Jets' active roster, but he did not appear in any games for the Jets. The Redskins re-acquired Mason off waivers from the Jets in April, 2009.

The Chargers added depth to their offensive backfield on Monday, claiming running back Marcus Mason off waivers from the Washington Redskins.

The 5-9, 215-pound former All-America running back from Youngstown State spent the better part of his first two NFL seasons on the practice squads of the Redskins and Baltimore Ravens before getting an opportunity to play last season for the Redskins. In nine games in '09, Mason averaged just under 4.0 yards per carry, toting the ball 32 times for 127 yards. He will attempt to earn a roster spot on a team in San Diego that averaged just 3.3 yards per carry last season.

"We've followed his progress through his young career," said General Manager A.J. Smith, "and when he came available, we decided to give him an opportunity to earn a spot with the Chargers."

The 25-year-old Mason played two collegiate seasons at YSU after transferring from the University of Illinois. He averaged an impressive 5.7 yards per carry in two seasons for the Penguins, racking up 2,739 yards and 31 touchdowns on 478 carries. He set a school record with 1,847 yards as a senior, en route to being named Offensive Player of the Year for the Gateway Conference.

The Redskins signed Mason as a free agent in 2007. He spent one week on their active roster, though he did not appear in a game, and the rest of the season on Washington's practice squad. In 2008, Washington released Mason following training camp and the preseason in which he led the NFL in rushing with 371 yards on 66 carries, a 4.8-yard average. That year Mason would spend eight weeks on Baltimore's practice squad and six more weeks on the New York Jets' active roster, but he did not appear in any games for the Jets. The Redskins re-acquired Mason off waivers from the Jets in April, 2009.

Cromartie, 25, started 45 of 70 regular season and postseason games played during four seasons for the Chargers, contributing 15 interceptions. In addition, tight end Kris Wilson and defensive end Alfonso Boone have agreed to terms on two-year contracts. Wilson is a six-year veteran who just completed his second season with the Chargers. Last year he caught four passes for 28 yards, including a two-yard touchdown reception in the Chargers' 21-20 win over the New York Giants. Boone joined the Chargers last year and started four of his 13 games played in San Diego. He is entering his tenth NFL season.

The Chargers made the necessary roster decisions in preparation for the official start of the 2010 offseason which begins at 9 pm PT Thursday.

Among the decisions was the release of 12-year veteran defensive tackle Jamal Williams.  "This is a difficult time of year and the most difficult part of our job," said General Manager A.J. Smith. "Jamal has been an anchor of our defense for 12 seasons. He's battled courageously at one of the most punishing positions on the field, and I respect him immensely." The team also released veteran running back Michael Bennett, leaving the roster thin at the running back position.

"We have a plan for the offseason," said Smith. "It's a long offseason and we'll have many options. We're confident we'll be able to add strong depth at all positions, including running back."

Key decisions that needed to be made include what to do with the 21 player contracts that are due to expire at 9 pm Thursday. That includes seven Unrestricted free agents (UFA), 12 Restricted free agents (RFA) and two Exclusive Rights free agents (ERFA). Teams must make a contract offer ("tender") to maintain negotiating rights to their Restricted and Exclusive Rights free agents, and the Chargers "tendered" all except three of the 14 players. Restricted free agents, including wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd, tackle Marcus McNeill, linebacker Shawne Merriman and running back Darren Sproles, may sign an offer sheet with another team. However the Chargers have the right to match the offer or be compensated with draft picks based on the size of the tender. All five of these players were tendered with the maximum tender. If one of those players signs an offer from another team and the Chargers choose to not match the offer, San Diego will receive that team's first and third-round choices in this year's draft.

"Our intentions are to have all of our tendered players back," said Smith. "We feel good about these players and continuity is important to us."
The Chargers have agreed on a two-year contract with DT Antonio Garay, who would have become a Restricted free agent.

As the term suggests, the Chargers hold exclusive negotiating rights to Exclusive Rights free agents linebacker Antwan Applewhite and fullback Mike Tolbert.

The Chargers hold no negotiating rights to their seven Unrestricted free agents: DE Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C-G Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood, T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott and TE Kris Wilson. The seven players are free to sign with any team without compensation to the Chargers. Of the seven, Norman, Osgood and Runyan definitely will not be returning. The team will be looking at all options to add depth to its roster this offseason. The league's free agent signing period begins at 9 pm PT. The Chargers, as one of the final eight playoff teams, can sign only one UFA with a first-year salary of $5.807 million or more. The team may sign additional UFAs at that salary range only after losing one at a comparable salary. It may sign an unlimited number of players with a first-year salary of up to $3.862 million. Teams that were in the Final Four (conference championship games) can only sign a UFA after losing a UFA, and they can only sign as many as they lost and only at comparable salaries.

In addition to free agency, the draft will be a major focus. Currently San Diego has the 28th choice in each of the draft's seven rounds, except for the sixth round. The Chargers traded its sixth-round choice to the Houston Texans for defensive end Travis Johnson, a former first-round choice.
Now that more than six weeks have passed since the team's last game, the Chargers also have a good feel for the health of their current roster, which will aid them in their future decisions. All of the players requiring surgery this offseason have either had their surgery or surgery is scheduled for the very near future. "We feel all of our players returning from injury are on schedule and will be ready to participate fully in Training Camp in late July, and likely by Mini Camp in May," said Smith.

Surgery update                      Injury                   Rehab Time (from date of surgery)
LB Kevin Burnett                    Neck                    3-5 months
DE Luis Castillo                     Shoulder              complete
DE Jacques Cesaire               Elbow, Knee        complete
C Nick Hardwick                     Shoulder              complete
DE Vaughn Martin                  Ankle                   12 weeks
G Scott Mruczkowski              Elbow                  2-4 weeks
WR Legedu Naanee                Foot                    12 weeks
P Mike Scifres                        Bilateral hernia      6-12 weeks
S C.J. Spillman                      Shoulder              3-4 months
G Louis Vasquez                    Knee                    6-8 weeks

Below is the contract status for all Chargers as of March 4, including the size of the tender that each RFA was offered. The year indicates the last year of the player's contract.

Under contract through 2015
Philip Rivers

Through 2014
Luis Castillo

Through 2013
Larry English

Through 2012
Kris Dielman
Kevin Ellison
Tyronne Greene
Brandon Hughes
Quentin Jammer
Nate Kaeding
Vaughn Martin
Shaun Phillips
Jyles Tucker
Louis Vasquez

Through 2011
David Binn
Antoine Cason
Buster Davis Steve Gregory Nick Hardwick
Jacob Hester Mike Scifres

Through 2010
Gary Banks
Ryon Bingham
Kevin Burnett
Jacques Cesaire
Stephen Cooper
Antonio Cromartie
Brandyn Dombrowski
Antonio Gates
James Holt
Scott Mruczkowski
Legedu Naanee
Ogemdi Nwagbuo
Paul Oliver
Brandon Siler
Billy Volek
Eric Weddle Exclusive Rights Free Agents*
LB Antwan Applewhite ($470k)
FB Mike Tolbert ($470k)

Restricted Free Agents**
T Jeromey Clary . second-round tender ($1.684 million)
LB Tim Dobbins . fifth-round tender ($1.176 million)
WR Malcom Floyd . first & third-round tender ($3.168 million)
C Eric Ghiaciuc . not tendered
LB Marques Harris . not tendered
WR Vincent Jackson . first & third-round tender ($3.268 million)
DE Travis Johnson . first-round tender ($1.226 million)
T Marcus McNeill . first & third-round tender ($3.168 million)
LB Shawne Merriman . first & third-round tender ($3.269 million)
RB Darren Sproles . first & third-round tender ($7.283 million)
LB Dontarrious Thomas . not tendered
QB Charlie Whitehurst . third-round tender ($1.176 million)

Unrestricted Free Agents***
DE Alfonso Boone TE Brandon Manumaleuna C-G Dennis Norman WR Kassim Osgood T Jon Runyan DT Ian Scott TE Kris Wilson * Exclusive Rights Free Agent (EFA) - A veteran player with two or less accrued seasons.

** Restricted Free Agent (RFA) - A veteran player that has 3-5 accrued seasons may sign an "offer sheet" with another team, but his original team has the option to match the offer (if it has sent the player a qualifying offer by today). If the original team decides not to match the offer, they can be compensated with draft picks from the other team. The new club has until April 15 to sign a RFA to an offer sheet. A RFA may sign only one offer sheet and the original club then has seven days to match the offer.

*** Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) - A player with six or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired.  He is free to sign with any club, with no compensation owed to his old club, through July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later).  At that point, his rights revert to his old club if it made a "tender" offer (110 percent of last year's salary) to him by June 1.  His old club then has until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (November 16) to sign him.  If he does not sign by November 16, he must sit out the season.  If no tender is offered by June 1, the player can be signed by any club at any time throughout the season.

The Chargers made the necessary roster decisions in preparation for the official start of the 2010 offseason which begins at 9 pm PT Thursday.

Among the decisions was the release of 12-year veteran defensive tackle Jamal Williams.  "This is a difficult time of year and the most difficult part of our job," said General Manager A.J. Smith. "Jamal has been an anchor of our defense for 12 seasons. He's battled courageously at one of the most punishing positions on the field, and I respect him immensely." The team also released veteran running back Michael Bennett, leaving the roster thin at the running back position.

"We have a plan for the offseason," said Smith. "It's a long offseason and we'll have many options. We're confident we'll be able to add strong depth at all positions, including running back."

Key decisions that needed to be made include what to do with the 21 player contracts that are due to expire at 9 pm Thursday. That includes seven Unrestricted free agents (UFA), 12 Restricted free agents (RFA) and two Exclusive Rights free agents (ERFA). Teams must make a contract offer ("tender") to maintain negotiating rights to their Restricted and Exclusive Rights free agents, and the Chargers "tendered" all except three of the 14 players. Restricted free agents, including wide receivers Vincent Jackson and Malcom Floyd, tackle Marcus McNeill, linebacker Shawne Merriman and running back Darren Sproles, may sign an offer sheet with another team. However the Chargers have the right to match the offer or be compensated with draft picks based on the size of the tender. All five of these players were tendered with the maximum tender. If one of those players signs an offer from another team and the Chargers choose to not match the offer, San Diego will receive that team's first and third-round choices in this year's draft.

"Our intentions are to have all of our tendered players back," said Smith. "We feel good about these players and continuity is important to us."
The Chargers have agreed on a two-year contract with DT Antonio Garay, who would have become a Restricted free agent.
As the term suggests, the Chargers hold exclusive negotiating rights to Exclusive Rights free agents linebacker Antwan Applewhite and fullback Mike Tolbert.

The Chargers hold no negotiating rights to their seven Unrestricted free agents: DE Alfonso Boone, TE Brandon Manumaleuna, C-G Dennis Norman, WR Kassim Osgood, T Jon Runyan, DT Ian Scott and TE Kris Wilson. The seven players are free to sign with any team without compensation to the Chargers. Of the seven, Norman, Osgood and Runyan definitely will not be returning. The team will be looking at all options to add depth to its roster this offseason. The league's free agent signing period begins at 9 pm PT. The Chargers, as one of the final eight playoff teams, can sign only one UFA with a first-year salary of $5.807 million or more. The team may sign additional UFAs at that salary range only after losing one at a comparable salary. It may sign an unlimited number of players with a first-year salary of up to $3.862 million. Teams that were in the Final Four (conference championship games) can only sign a UFA after losing a UFA, and they can only sign as many as they lost and only at comparable salaries.

In addition to free agency, the draft will be a major focus. Currently San Diego has the 28th choice in each of the draft's seven rounds, except for the sixth round. The Chargers traded its sixth-round choice to the Houston Texans for defensive end Travis Johnson, a former first-round choice.
Now that more than six weeks have passed since the team's last game, the Chargers also have a good feel for the health of their current roster, which will aid them in their future decisions. All of the players requiring surgery this offseason have either had their surgery or surgery is scheduled for the very near future. "We feel all of our players returning from injury are on schedule and will be ready to participate fully in Training Camp in late July, and likely by Mini Camp in May," said Smith.

Surgery update                      Injury                   Rehab Time (from date of surgery)
LB Kevin Burnett                    Neck                    3-5 months
DE Luis Castillo                     Shoulder              complete
DE Jacques Cesaire               Elbow, Knee        complete
C Nick Hardwick                     Shoulder              complete
DE Vaughn Martin                  Ankle                   12 weeks
G Scott Mruczkowski              Elbow                  2-4 weeks
WR Legedu Naanee                Foot                    12 weeks
P Mike Scifres                        Bilateral hernia      6-12 weeks
S C.J. Spillman                      Shoulder              3-4 months
G Louis Vasquez                    Knee                    6-8 weeks

Below is the contract status for all Chargers as of March 4, including the size of the tender that each RFA was offered. The year indicates the last year of the player's contract.

Under contract through 2015
Philip Rivers

Through 2014
Luis Castillo

Through 2013
Larry English

Through 2012
Kris Dielman
Kevin Ellison
Tyronne Greene
Brandon Hughes
Quentin Jammer
Nate Kaeding
Vaughn Martin
Shaun Phillips
Jyles Tucker
Louis Vasquez

Through 2011
David Binn
Antoine Cason
Buster Davis Steve Gregory Nick Hardwick
Jacob Hester Mike Scifres

Through 2010
Gary Banks
Ryon Bingham
Kevin Burnett
Jacques Cesaire
Stephen Cooper
Antonio Cromartie
Brandyn Dombrowski
Antonio Gates
James Holt
Scott Mruczkowski
Legedu Naanee
Ogemdi Nwagbuo
Paul Oliver
Brandon Siler
Billy Volek
Eric Weddle Exclusive Rights Free Agents*
LB Antwan Applewhite ($470k)
FB Mike Tolbert ($470k)

Restricted Free Agents**
T Jeromey Clary . second-round tender ($1.684 million)
LB Tim Dobbins . fifth-round tender ($1.176 million)
WR Malcom Floyd . first & third-round tender ($3.168 million)
C Eric Ghiaciuc . not tendered
LB Marques Harris . not tendered
WR Vincent Jackson . first & third-round tender ($3.268 million)
DE Travis Johnson . first-round tender ($1.226 million)
T Marcus McNeill . first & third-round tender ($3.168 million)
LB Shawne Merriman . first & third-round tender ($3.269 million)
RB Darren Sproles . first & third-round tender ($7.283 million)
LB Dontarrious Thomas . not tendered
QB Charlie Whitehurst . third-round tender ($1.176 million)

Unrestricted Free Agents***
DE Alfonso Boone TE Brandon Manumaleuna C-G Dennis Norman WR Kassim Osgood T Jon Runyan DT Ian Scott TE Kris Wilson * Exclusive Rights Free Agent (EFA) - A veteran player with two or less accrued seasons.

** Restricted Free Agent (RFA) - A veteran player that has 3-5 accrued seasons may sign an "offer sheet" with another team, but his original team has the option to match the offer (if it has sent the player a qualifying offer by today). If the original team decides not to match the offer, they can be compensated with draft picks from the other team. The new club has until April 15 to sign a RFA to an offer sheet. A RFA may sign only one offer sheet and the original club then has seven days to match the offer.

*** Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) - A player with six or more accrued seasons whose contract has expired.  He is free to sign with any club, with no compensation owed to his old club, through July 22 (or the first scheduled day of the first NFL training camp, whichever is later).  At that point, his rights revert to his old club if it made a "tender" offer (110 percent of last year's salary) to him by June 1.  His old club then has until the Tuesday after the 10th week of the season (November 16) to sign him.  If he does not sign by November 16, he must sit out the season.  If no tender is offered by June 1, the player can be signed by any club at any time throughout the season.

Auditions start on April 11 and offer an exciting yet challenging experience. To help prepare the women for the audition process, a pre-audition workshop will be held on March 14 from 2-5 pm in the Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego.

Pre-registration is highly recommended on Chargers.com as space is limited. A non-refundable cash fee of $50 will be collected upon arrival at workshop.

The three-hour session will include a dance clinic, mock audition, audition tips and a Q & A with the 2009 Charger Girls.

"We host a workshop every year to give a broader idea of everything we're looking for," said Charger Girls Director Lisa Simmons. "We work with them on dance technique, choreography and put them through a mock audition. We do our best to prepare them for what they can expect in April."

The Charger Girls perform at all home games and appear in the team's annual swimsuit calendar. They also serve as ambassadors for the organization at hundreds of business, community and charity events throughout the year.

More than 400 dancers annually audition for a spot on the NFL's hottest dance team.

Auditions start on April 11 and offer an exciting yet challenging experience. To help prepare the women for the audition process, a pre-audition workshop will be held on March 14 from 2-5 pm in the Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego.

Pre-registration is highly recommended on Chargers.com as space is limited. A non-refundable cash fee of $50 will be collected upon arrival at workshop.

The three-hour session will include a dance clinic, mock audition, audition tips and a Q & A with the 2009 Charger Girls.

"We host a workshop every year to give a broader idea of everything we're looking for," said Charger Girls Director Lisa Simmons. "We work with them on dance technique, choreography and put them through a mock audition. We do our best to prepare them for what they can expect in April."

The Charger Girls perform at all home games and appear in the team's annual swimsuit calendar. They also serve as ambassadors for the organization at hundreds of business, community and charity events throughout the year.

Running back LaDainian Tomlinson, the Chargers all-time leading rusher, was released today after nine remarkable seasons in San Diego.

Chargers President Dean Spanos met with Tomlinson today and informed his veteran running back that he is being released.

"This is a part of the business that I hate, and it's particularly hard when you're dealing with someone I consider a friend," Spanos said. "Change involving great players is never easy. I respect LT as much or more than any player I've ever known. And no one appreciates his contributions to this organization more than I do. That is why this is such a difficult announcement for me to make.

"It has been a privilege to work with him and witness his entire career. I'm proud of him and grateful to him for the way he has carried himself both on and off the field.

"No matter where he chooses to continue his career, in my mind LT will always be a San Diego Charger. His legacy as one of the greatest running backs the game has ever seen will be as a Charger."

Tomlinson owns or shares 28 team records, including career rushing yards, yards from scrimmage and touchdowns. During his nine seasons in San Diego, Tomlinson won two rushing titles (2006 and '07), set an NFL single-season record for touchdowns in a season (31 in '06) and racked up 12,490 rushing yards, the eighth-highest total in NFL history. He was the NFL's Most Valuable Player in 2006 and earned Pro Bowl honors five times.

"I was fortunate to be the offensive coordinator here during LT's rookie year in 2001 and it didn't take long to realize that we were dealing with a special player and a special individual," Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner said. "And when I returned to the Chargers in 2007, I was proud to be a part of his second NFL rushing title.

"LT is a true pro. He's one of the greatest runners this game has ever seen and words can't do justice to the things he's accomplished on and off the field."

In addition to his long list of achievements on the gridiron, Tomlinson's tireless efforts in the community have benefitted thousands of individuals in San Diego as well as his native Texas. In 2006, LT received the NFL Man of the Year Award in recognition of his numerous philanthropic efforts.

"It's fitting that LT's and LaTorsha's charity is called the 'Touching Lives Foundation' because that's exactly what they've done," Spanos said. "So many people have been positively affected by their generosity. Our community has been fortunate to have them."

Tomlinson joined the Chargers in 2001 as the fifth overall selection in the NFL Draft. The Chargers originally held the top pick in the draft, but swung a trade with the Atlanta Falcons, who moved up to take quarterback Michael Vick. The Chargers nervously waited as Tomlinson fell to the fifth spot where they enthusiastically brought him into their fold.

"There were a lot of eyebrows raised when we made that trade, but LT proved to be everything we thought he'd be and more," Chargers General Manager A.J. Smith said. "He's a future Hall of Famer. My only regret is that he leaves San Diego without a Super Bowl ring."

Tomlinson was one of 53 men recognized as the Greatest All-Time Chargers during the team's 50th anniversary celebration last season and he was recently named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s. His 138 career rushing touchdowns are the second most in NFL history and his 153 total touchdowns ranks third in league annals.

"I look forward to the time when we'll see his number retired and see him inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame," Spanos said. "I can't say enough about how much I've enjoyed being around LT and LaTorsha the last nine years."

Patriots, Titans, Cardinals highlight home schedule

The San Diego Chargers announced today that ticket prices for 2010 will remain the same for the third-consecutive season.

Season ticket prices range from $48 to $90 per game. All single-game tickets, if available, will range from $54 to $98. Season ticket holders receive a savings of up to $110 over single-game purchases.

Chargers fans once again will be treated to an exciting schedule of home games. The home schedule includes matchups against quarterback Tom Brady and the New England Patriots; wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals, as well as another hard-fought battle against rushing champion Chris Johnson and the Tennessee Titans. The Chargers also will take on the San Francisco 49ers and the Jacksonville Jaguars, both in the playoff hunt late in the '09 season, as well as AFC West rivals Denver, Kansas City and Oakland.

The Chargers, winners of four consecutive AFC West titles and five in the last six years, continue to provide one of the most exciting and successful teams in the NFL. Seventy wins over the past six years ranks fourth in the NFL, and that strong showing on the field has led to 48 consecutive regular-season and postseason home sellouts.

Season tickets are available now by calling 877-CHARGERS, going to www.chargers.com or stopping by the Chargers' ticket office at Gate C at Qualcomm Stadium.

###

Chargers kicker Nate Kaeding will miss the 2010 Pro Bowl due to a groin strain. He will be replaced on the AFC roster by Miami Dolphins kicker Dan Carpenter.

This would have been Kaeding's second-career Pro Bowl. He kicked the game-winning field goal for the AFC in a 31-28 win over the NFC at the 2007 Pro Bowl in Hawaii's Aloha Stadium.

San Diego President Dean Spanos signed Head Coach Norv Turner to a three-year contract extension today, extending his contract through the 2013 season.  "I'm extremely proud of the job Norv has done with this team," said Spanos. "In three seasons he's led the team to three division titles.  I'm confident that if we strengthen our roster and continue to provide Norv the assets he needs, this team will have continued success."

Turner has the top overall winning percentage in team history at .648 (35-19) as well as the top regular-season percentage (32-16, .667).  The Chargers are 13-0 in December under Turner and 4-3 in January.  His three playoff wins are tied for most in team history.  The team's 13 regular-season wins in 2009 are the second most in team history, and includes a team-high seven wins on the road and a 4-0 sweep of the NFC East.  The team committed the second-fewest turnovers (17) and the third-fewest penalty yards (570) during the regular season.  Its 78 penalties are the fewest by the Chargers since 1976 when there were 14-game seasons.

Turner's leadership did not go unnoticed nationally as USA Today named him its NFL Coach of the Year.