Former Chargers cornerback, Leslie "Speedy" Duncan, passed away at the age of 79.
Speedy Duncan was a walking highlight reel before there were highlights. I had the honor of meeting him several times over the years at our alumni events, and you'd be hard pressed to find a nicer person. He was the life of the party, always with a joke at the ready, and his smile was as welcoming as his talent was immense.
At those events, we would play old footage up on the screens – all the best plays by Charger greats of every era. It's hard to stand out in a montage like that, but then you'd see number 45, a player so slight in stature that his shoulder pads looked three sizes too big. A ball would fall out of the sky on grainy video, land in Speedy's hands and then…magic. With eight touchdowns in eight seasons as a DB or returner, he was a true game-changer whose momentum altering ability carried him to three straight Pro Bowls, the Chargers Hall of Fame and earned him a spot on our 50th Anniversary team.
Speedy was, as his nickname fittingly would indicate, a player who was ahead of his time. Our hearts are with the entire Duncan family, his teammates and everyone who was touched by Speedy and his larger-than-life personality. He will be sorely missed. – Chargers owner, Dean Spanos
