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Kris Rhim
LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Chargers safety Rodney Harrison will be the 36th player inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame, the organization announced Monday.
The Chargers selected Harrison in the fifth round of the 1994 draft. In his first season the Chargers made the franchise’s only Super Bowl appearance, losing to the San Francisco 49ers 49-26.
Harrison spent nine of his 15 NFL seasons with the Chargers, emerging from a special teams contributor into one of the NFL’s best safeties and known for his hard hits, earning the moniker “The Hitman.”
this one’s for the hitman pic.twitter.com/8xHOMLlNVO
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) June 30, 2025
He racked up 21.5 sacks during his time with the Chargers, the most in franchise history by a defensive back, and 26 interceptions — ranking third all-time among Chargers defenders and first among safeties. He also made two bowls and was a first-team All-Pro in 1998.
“Rodney personified an era of Chargers football defined by physicality, emotion, relentless effort, toughness and grit,” president of football operations John Spanos said in a statement. “For nearly a decade, he gave everything he had to the Chargers, establishing a standard of accountability and setting the bar for competitive greatness.”
The Chargers created their Hall of Fame in 1976, which includes coaches, a former general manager, and part owners. Tight end Antonio Gates is the most recent player inductee, earning the honor in 2023. Former majority owners Alex & Faye Spanos were inducted in 2024.
“What I remember most about Rodney is his incredible toughness,” former head coach Bobby Ross said in a statement. “He was a hard-hitting, relentless safety — fearless in every sense of the word. He had all the tools: speed, instincts, and range — but what separated him was that physical edge, that toughness you don’t always see, even among the best. He stood out from day one.”
Following the 2002 season, the Chargers released Harrison. He went on to sign a six-year deal with the New England Patriots in February of 2003, where he played six more seasons, won two Super Bowls, and was a two-time All-Pro.
