“Who could forget the fans chanting ‘Looooo!’ “Looooo!’ every time Louie made a big play,” remembered Chargers President Dean Spanos. “Not only is he one of the most popular players in Chargers history, but he’s also one of the best defensive linemen this team has ever known. He’s truly deserving of a place in the Chargers Hall of Fame.”
“Being named to the Chargers Hall of Fame is something I really didn’t expect. It’s a great honor,” said Kelcher. “I’m going in with a lot of great guys. To me, it’s for the fans in San Diego and everybody I came in contact with during my career. It means a lot to me. It has to do a lot with my teammates and sharing this with them. It gives me a lifeline to the past, the fans and my former teammates. I’m really honored.”
Kelcher began his NFL career as the Chargers’ second-round choice in 1975, arguably the best draft in team history. In addition to Kelcher, the Chargers landed many of the players that would provide the foundation for the team’s three-consecutive AFC West Championships from 1979-81, including defensive tackle Gary “Big Hands” Johnson, defensive end Fred Dean, safety Mike Fuller and tackle Billy Shields. Kelcher will be joining Johnson in the Hall of Fame.
“Of all the teammates I’ve ever played with, I think Louie was the most universally beloved guy on the team,” said Pro Football and Chargers Hall of Fame quarterback Dan Fouts, one of Kelcher’s closest friends. “That goes beyond the football field. I cherish his friendship to this day.”
“When you first meet Louie, he’s an enormous man. He’s big in stature and he’s got these huge hands,” said former kicker Rolf Benirschke, also a member of the Chargers Hall of Fame. “But what you don’t really see is how big his heart is. He’s a very special guy. He is the epitome of a gentle giant. He’s got an enormous presence. Those of us who played with him will always remember him and Gary Johnson stuffing the middle of the line. But those of us who got to know him also know that he’s as gentle a guy as there is.”
“Being a part of Rolf’s situation is one of my fondest memories,” said Kelcher. “Seeing him come back the way he did, I’ll always remember that.”
“He was the soul of our defensive line that kept a unique cast of characters together,” said Benirschke. “When you think of Fred Dean and Leroy Jones and Gary Johnson, it was Louie, this good old boy from Texas, who kept everybody laughing and kept everybody together. But when it came to game day, he was as hard a working player as there was out there. He became a very special friend to many of us.”
“At the time, Louie was the most feared defensive tackle in the NFL,” said Fouts. “So many guys from other teams that you would meet in the offseason and at the Pro Bowl would just marvel at Louie’s abilities and how hard he played and how great a player he was.”
“I was fortunate to play with a lot of great guys,” said Kelcher. “Gary Johnson, Fred Dean, Leroy Jones, Charles DeJurnett and guys like that. Obviously, being around such a prolific offense like Air Coryell and all those guys like Dan (Fouts), Charlie (Joiner), Kellen (Winslow), and J.J. (John Jefferson), the list goes on and on. There are so many so many memories. It was a blast just being a part of it. Being named to the Chargers Hall of Fame is something I will treasure from here on out.”
Kelcher’s career with the Chargers spanned eight seasons (1975-83). He was named team captain five consecutive years (1977-81) and earned three trips to the Pro Bowl following the 1977, ’78 and ’80 seasons. His career totals with the Chargers include 90 starts in 100 games played, 577 tackles and 39 sacks. Kelcher also started six playoff games for the Chargers, registering 56 tackles and one sack in playoff action.
Kelcher earned his first Pro Bowl berth following the 1977 season when he established a career-high with 11 sacks and recorded 99 tackles while playing in just 12 games. In 1981, he recorded a career-best 109 tackles in 14 games. Kelcher missed the bulk of the 1979 season with a knee injury suffered in training camp that year.
Kelcher finished his career with San Francisco, earning a Super Bowl Championship with the 49ers following the 1984 season. Kelcher officially retired from football in 1985, having played in 116 NFL games in nine seasons.
Louie James Kelcher was born on Aug. 23, 1953 in Beaumont, Texas, and played football for the French High School Buffaloes in Beaumont. Kelcher continued his playing career at Southern Methodist University, where he earned Southwest Conference Defensive Player of the Year and consensus All-America honors after recording 22 sacks as a senior in 1974. Kelcher was the Chargers’ third selection and the 30th player taken overall in the 1975 NFL Draft.
Currently, Kelcher owns and operates ProLine Warehouse and Distribution, a warehousing, trucking and transportation company in Austin, Texas, where he lives with his wife, Mary Lynne, and twin daughters, Kelsey and Kaitlin. Kelcher also has son, Louie Jr., and daughter, Lauren.
Kelcher will be joining 30 members in the Chargers Hall of Fame, including (in order of induction): wide receiver Lance Alworth, tackle Ron Mix, running back Paul Lowe, running back Keith Lincoln, majority owner Barron Hilton, defensive tackle Ernie Ladd, guard Walt Sweeney, quarterback John Hadl, linebacker Chuck Allen, wide receiver Gary Garrison, head coach Sid Gillman, defensive end Earl Faison, quarterback Dan Fouts, wide receiver Charlie Joiner, head coach Don Coryell, cornerback Leslie “Speedy” Duncan, tight end Kellen Winslow, tackle Russ Washington, minority owner George Pernicano, kicker Rolf Benirschke, cornerback Gill Byrd, defensive lineman Gary “Big Hands” Johnson, offensive lineman Doug Wilkerson, wide receiver Wes Chandler, quarterback Stan Humphries and head coach Bobby Ross. Linebackers Frank Buncom, Emil Karas, Bob Laraba, and tight end Jacque MacKinnon were all inducted posthumously as honorary members into the Chargers Hall of Fame in 1976.
Chargers President-CEO Dean Spanos is the chairman of the Hall of Fame selection committee. Joining Spanos on the committee are Bob Breitbard, Founder of the San Diego Hall of Champions; Bill Allen, Chairman of the San Diego International Sports Council; Jayne Beckett, President of the San Diego Chargers Backers, and Bill Johnston, Director of Public Relations for the San Diego Chargers.
Press Release: Louie Kelcher to become 31st member of Chargers Hall of Fame
