2004 San Diego Chargers

The  San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 34th season in the National Football League (NFL), its 44th overall and the third under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. The team improved on their 4–12 record in 2003 and finished the regular season 12–4 and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years, as it was the team's 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.

NFL draft
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 would strike 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. The Giants would then draft quarterback Philip Rivers of North Carolina State, and then swap him and two 2005 draft picks for Manning.

Week 1: at Houston Texans

 * Source:

Week 2: vs. New York Jets

 * Source:

Week 3: at Denver Broncos

 * Source:

Week 4: vs. Tennessee Titans

 * Source:

Week 5: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars

 * Source:

Week 6: at Atlanta Falcons

 * Source:

Week 7: at Carolina Panthers

 * Source:

Week 8: vs. Oakland Raiders

 * Source:

Week 9: vs. New Orleans Saints

 * Source:

Week 11: at Oakland Raiders

 * Source:

Week 12: at Kansas City Chiefs

 * Source:

Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos

 * Source:

Week 14: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

 * Source:

Week 15: at Cleveland Browns

 * Source:

San Diego clinches its first division title since 1994.

Week 16: at Indianapolis Colts

 * Source:

Week 17: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

 * Source:

Wild Card: vs. New York Jets

 * Source: