JOE REEDY
In an image provided by ESPN from video, Rocky Bleier stands in Hiep Duc Valley, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) south of Danang in Vietnam, on Aug. 20, 2018. Three months into his deployment to Vietnam, Bleier was shot through the thigh and suffered a grenade blast to his foot. Doctors told him that he’d never play football again. Steelers owner Art Rooney supported Bleier by placing him on injured reserve rather than cutting him from the team. Bleier then defied the odds, returning to football as a star running back on the “Steel Curtain” Steelers teams of the 1970s and becoming the only war veteran to have four Super Bowl rings. (ESPN via AP)
ESPN documentary shows Bleier's emotional return to Vietnam

By Joe Reedy Aug. 17, 2019 07:17 PM EDT
Rocky Bleier thought he made peace with what happened in a rice paddy in Vietnam on

Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James Jr., right, catches a tipped pass during the NFL football team's joint practice with the New Orleans Saints on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, in Costa Mesa, Calif. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)
Chargers All-Pro safety James out with broken right foot

By Joe Reedy Aug. 16, 2019 02:48 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers will likely go into the regular

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, left, and New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees look on during a joint NFL football practice in Costa Mesa, Calif., Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Close friends Brees and Rivers get to share practice field

By Joe Reedy Aug. 15, 2019 07:49 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Philip Rivers and Drew Brees have not been teammates since

FILE - In this Nov. 26, 2017, file photo, then-Oakland Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio speaks at a news conference after an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Oakland, Calif. Jack Del Rio never shied away from giving his opinion as a player and a coach. He isn’t about to change his approach as an analyst. ESPN announced on Thursday, Aug. 15, 2019, that it has hired the former Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders coach as an analyst. His first appearance will be Friday on “NFL Live”.(AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)
ESPN hires former Jaguars, Raiders coach Del Rio as analyst

By Joe Reedy Aug. 15, 2019 10:08 AM EDT
Jack Del Rio never shied away from giving his opinion as a player and a coach. He isn

Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) runs the ball against the Arizona Cardinals during the first half of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2019, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Chargers' Ekeler, Jackson making most of opportunities

By Joe Reedy Aug. 14, 2019 08:39 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — As Melvin Gordon continues his holdout from the Los Angeles

First-round pick Tillery getting up to speed for Chargers

By Joe Reedy Aug. 11, 2019 08:21 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Jerry Tillery is trying to make up for lost time in his

Construction workers continue work in the bowl of the NFL stadium rising in Inglewood, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. The multi-billion-dollar complex is on schedule to open in July 2020. Officials from the NFL, the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers toured the stadium as part of early preparations for the Super Bowl in February 2022. (AP Photo/Greg Beacham)
American Airlines first sponsor for Rams, Chargers stadium

By Joe Reedy Aug. 06, 2019 09:03 PM EDT
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The new stadium at Hollywood Park being built for the Los

Chargers pleased with development of tackle Trent Scott

By Joe Reedy Aug. 05, 2019 07:50 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Even though Melvin Gordon's absence continues to be the

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen runs a drill during an NFL football training camp in Costa Mesa, Calif., Tuesday, July 30, 2019. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)
Chargers, Rams hold first practice in 2 years without fight

By Joe Reedy Aug. 01, 2019 08:50 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — The Chargers and Rams took the "Fight for L.A." slogan

FILE - In this Jan. 13, 2019 file photo Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, Mass. Gordon is officially a holdout as the Chargers get ready to begin training camp. The team placed their running back on the reserve/did not report list Wednesday, July 24, 2019 as players went through physicals and meetings. Gordon is going into the final year of a rookie contract and will earn $5.6 million this season. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
Chargers left tackle Russell Okung out due to blood clots

By Joe Reedy Jul. 25, 2019 02:26 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Russell Okung was with his Los Angeles Chargers teammates

FILE - In this Feb. 25, 2019, file photo, XFL Football Commissioner Oliver Luck talks to reporters before introducing former NFL football quarterback Jim Zorn as the head coach for Seattle's XFL football team, in Seattle. Oliver Luck’s first year as the XFL’s commissioner has mostly been confined to the office and getting the league’s framework set up. The next couple months though are what Luck refers to as the fun part of preparing for next year’s return. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
XFL's plans for upcoming season starting to take shape

By Joe Reedy Jul. 02, 2019 03:11 AM EDT
LONG BEACH, Calif. (AP) — Oliver Luck's first year as the XFL's commissioner has

In this June 2, 2013, photo provided by ESPN Images, Bob Ley talks during an international friendly soccer match in Washington, D.C. Ley, an anchor at ESPN since the network's launch 40 years ago, has announced his retirement. Ley was ESPN's longest-tenured anchor, joining "SportsCenter" on the channel's third day of operation on Sept. 9, 1979. He hosted "Outside The Lines," an investigative news program, from its launch in 1990 until he took a sabbatical last September. The 64-year-old Ley tweeted Wednesday, June 26, 2019, that he's enjoying the "best of health" and that the decision to retire was "entirely" his own. (Allen Kee/ESPN Images via AP)
ESPN anchor Bob Ley retires after 40 years with network

By Joe Reedy Jun. 26, 2019 12:06 PM EDT
Bob Ley, a fixture at ESPN since the network's launch 40 years ago, has decided to

FILE - In this June 12, 2018, file photo, Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn yells during NFL football practice, in Costa Mesa, Calif. Chargers coach Anthony Lynn has a busy stretch ahead before his team begins training camp in late July. He will be opening a new school in Africa, hold his own golf tournament and visit with the first responders who saved his life in 2005. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
Chargers coach Lynn has busy break ahead before camp starts

By Joe Reedy Jun. 15, 2019 05:23 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Lynn has a busy stretch ahead before the Los

FILE - In this Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018 file photo, Los Angeles Chargers running back Melvin Gordon rushes during the second half of an NFL football game against the Denver Broncos in Denver. Gordon is going into the final year of his contract. The fifth-year running back said after practice that he didn’t want to miss any practices but also didn’t rule out not being here when the team conducts its first training camp practice, Tuesday, June 11, 2019 . (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File)
Chargers' Gordon trying not to make contract a distraction

By Joe Reedy Jun. 11, 2019 08:07 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Melvin Gordon is happy to be back with his Los Angeles

FILE - In this Oct. 7, 2017, file photo, Ohio State defensive end Nick Bosa rushes in against Maryland during an NCAA college football game in Columbus, Ohio. Bosa is hoping to return to form with the Los Angeles Chargers wearing a new yet familiar number. The defensive end has switched from No. 99 to 97. Bosa wore that number at St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and at Ohio State. It is also a significant number for the Bosa family. John Bosa wore No. 97 for three seasons in the NFL and Nick Bosa, Joey’s younger brother, will wear it for San Francisco after being the second overall pick in the April draft. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete, File)
Family tradition: Chargers' Bosa switches to familiar No. 97

By Joe Reedy May. 25, 2019 02:52 AM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Joey Bosa is hoping to return to form with the Los Angeles

Stick slowly getting up to speed with Chargers' offense

By Joe Reedy May. 12, 2019 05:03 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Easton Stick has drawn comparisons to Carson Wentz and

FILE - At left, in a May 18, 2012, file photo, Vince McMahon is shown at the Republican state convention in Hartford, Conn. At right, in a Feb. 7, 2019, file photo, XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck makes comments during a news conference in Arlington, Texas. The XFL has reached multiyear agreements with ESPN and Fox Sports to broadcast its games beginning in 2020. The league also announced Monday, May 6, 2019, that its season will start Feb. 8, the weekend after the NFL season ends with the Super Bowl. This is the second time Vince McMahon has launched a football league. (AP Photo/File)
Lessons learned? XFL hoping time to prepare is a benefit

By Joe Reedy May. 10, 2019 02:45 AM EDT
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Oliver Luck has noted that there is a graveyard full of tombstones

FILE - At left, in a May 18, 2012, file photo, Vince McMahon is shown at the Republican state convention in Hartford, Conn. At right, in a Feb. 7, 2019, file photo, XFL Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck makes comments during a news conference in Arlington, Texas. The XFL has reached multiyear agreements with ESPN and Fox Sports to broadcast its games beginning in 2020. The league also announced Monday, May 6, 2019, that its season will start Feb. 8, the weekend after the NFL season ends with the Super Bowl. This is the second time Vince McMahon has launched a football league. (AP Photo/File)
XFL reaches multiyear agreement with ESPN and Fox

By Joe Reedy May. 06, 2019 09:26 AM EDT
The XFL reached multiyear agreements with ESPN and Fox Sports on Monday to broadcast

FILE - At left, in an April 24, 2019, file photo, Booger McFarland is seen on the set of ESPN SportsCenter, in Nashville, Tenn. At right, in an Aug. 16, 2018, file photo, Joe Tessitore poses for a photograph before an ESPN telecast of a preseason NFL football game, in Landover, Md. ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” will go with a two-person booth this upcoming season, with Booger McFarland joining Joe Tessitore. ESPN had a three-man commentary team last year. (AP Photo/File)
Tessitore, McFarland return to ESPN's 'Monday Night' booth

By Joe Reedy May. 01, 2019 09:47 AM EDT
ESPN's "Monday Night Football" will return to a two-man booth when it kicks off its

Los Angeles Chargers NFL football defensive tackle Jerry Tillery, left, suppresses a laugh as he talks with head coach Anthony Lynn, right, during a news conference at Chargers headquarters Friday, April 26, 2019, in Costa Mesa, Calif. The Notre Dame defensive tackle was drafted by the Chargers in the first round Thursday. AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Chargers able to address defensive tackle, linebacker needs

By Joe Reedy Apr. 27, 2019 09:46 PM EDT
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers general manager Tom Telesco knew that