Chargers owner Spanos dies at 95
STOCKTON, Calif. – Alex Spanos, who used his fortune from construction and real estate to buy the Chargers in 1984, has died. He was 95.
The team announced in 2008 that Spanos was suffering from dementia. He eventually stopped attending games.
The son of Greek immigrants, Spanos was a self-made millionaire. He bought controlling interest in the team for approximately $50 million from Gene Klein in 1984. He eventually bought all but the 3 percent that was held by George Pernicano.
Although Spanos continued to live in Stockton after purchasing the Chargers, his oldest son, Dean, moved to San Diego to help run the team.
It was Dean Spanos who decided to move the Chargers from San Diego, their home of 56 years, to Los Angeles in 2017.
After then-general manager Bobby Beathard nearly resigned following the 1993 season due to a feud over signing bonuses for free agents, Alex Spanos put Dean in charge of day-to-day operations of the team. With Beathard remaining, the Chargers made their only Super Bowl appearance, a 49-26 loss to San Francisco in January 1995.
Alex Spanos wasn’t held in warm regard by many San Diego fans and was booed during a halftime ceremony to retire Hall of Famer Dan Fouts’ No. 14 in 1988. After that, Alex Spanos didn’t participate in similar ceremonies.
Bills sign QB Anderson: The Buffalo Bills have signed quarterback Derek Anderson to add veteran experience and have him serve as a mentor for rookie starter Josh Allen.
The Bills announced the signing Tuesday, a day after Anderson visited the team’s facility. He has a 20-27 record over 12 NFL seasons, and spent the past seven serving as Cam Newton’s backup in Carolina.
Buffalo lacks veteran depth at quarterback behind Allen and second-year player Nathan Peterman. Allen has a 2-2 record since taking over the starting job after Peterman faltered badly during a season-opening 47-3 loss at Baltimore. Jaguars sign Charles: The Jacksonville Jaguars have signed former Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles to help during Leonard Fournette’s absence.
The 31-year-old Charles worked out for the team Tuesday morning and signed a one-year contract in the afternoon.
The Jaguars (3-2) lost third-string running back Corey Grant (foot) for the season and don’t expect to have Fournette back for several more weeks. They promoted first-year back Brandon Wilds from the practice squad, but Wilds has been a non-factor with the ball and a liability as a blocker. Bengals at Chiefs moved to Sunday night: The Kansas City Chiefs got a sixth prime time game when the NFL moved their home game on Sunday, Oct. 21 against the Cincinnati Bengals to the night slot.
The Chiefs are one of only two 5-0 teams, along with the Rams. The Bengals and the Saints are 4-1.
The Chiefs beat the Broncos 27-23 in a Monday night game Oct. 1. They also have a Monday night game against the Rams on Nov. 19, Sunday night games against the Patriots and Seahawks, and a Thursday night game against the Chargers.
Cincinnati had only one prime time game originally scheduled, a 34-23 win over the Ravens on Thursday, Sept. 13. Cincinnati is 6-14 in prime time games since 2011, including 0-5 on Sunday night. Giants waive former first rounder Flowers, sign Mihalik: The New York Giants have waived former first-round draft pick Ereck Flowers and signed tackle Brian Mihalik off their practice squad to replace him.
The team announced the moves Tuesday, a day after coach Pat Shurmur said Flowers would either be traded or waived within 24 hours.
Flowers was the ninth pick overall in the 2015 draft. He never lived up to expectations. The Miami product was moved from left to right tackle this season after free agent Nate Solder was signed. He ended up losing that job to Chad Wheeler after two games.