Earl Faison, who was a dominating defensive end for the Chargers, has died at the age of 77, the team announced Monday.
The Chargers did not reveal a cause of death for the athlete, who was the team's first selection in the 1961 American Football League draft.
Faison went on to become the Rookie of the Year and was all-AFL four times as a member of a defensive line nicknamed the "Fearsome Foursome." He was later inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame and named to the 50th Anniversary Team.
"On behalf of the Spanos family and the entire Chargers organization, we'd like to express our deepest sympathies to the Faison family," Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos said.
"He was a consummate gentleman with a booming voice and laugh," Spanos said. "His passion for the Chargers and the game of football was unwavering."
Faison left pro football after six season because of a back injury, dabbled in acting, and later became a teacher, football coach and principal at Lincoln High School.
