Eric Sievers obit

Chargers News: Beloved Former San Diego-Era TE Dies Of Cancer

 

He was not on the list.

Longtime former San Diego Chargers tight end Eric Sievers has sadly passed away at the far-too-young age of 66, following a cancer battle (the exact nature of the illness was not divulged), the now-Los Angeles Chargers' X account revealed on Wednesday.

According to Jay Posner, formerly of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Sievers served as a top blocking tight end, and was venerated as an overall good person, perhaps the best accolade of all in the NFL.

The 6'4", 236-pound pro was selected with the No. 107 overall pick in the 1981 draft by the then-San Diego Chargers out of Maryland. During a ten-season career split between the Chargers, the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots, he caught 214 total receptions for 2,485 total yards, averaging 11.6 yards per and recording 16 touchdowns across 122 total regular season games (51 starts).

He's best remembered for his San Diego run. He played with the Bolts from 1981-88. He was a utility role player for the 10-6 1981 Chargers and the 6-3 '82 club in a nine-game season abbreviated by a lengthy player strike. Both teams made it through two playoff rounds.

Charger Report sends our deepest condolences to Sievers' friends and family in this tragic time.

He played college football for the Maryland Terrapins before being selected by the Chargers in the fourth round of the 1981 NFL draft. Sievers was named to the NFL All-Rookie team in 1981. He played for ten NFL seasons from 1981 to 1990 for the Chargers, the Los Angeles Rams and the New England Patriots.

Sievers attended Washington-Lee High School in Arlington, Virginia, where he earned 1975 Parade All-American and Scholastic All-American honors. Other All-Americans named in the same award group included future NFL players, Mark Malone, Matt Suhey, Stan Brock, Brad Budde, Anthony Munoz, Bruce Clark, and Curtis Dickey. He was inducted into the Virginia High School Hall of Fame in 1997.

Sievers played eight seasons for the San Diego Chargers. A solid blocker, his best recieving years were in 1984 and 1985, when he posted identical seasons of 41 catches for 438 yards. In 1988, he was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury. San Diego tried to activate him by passing him through waivers, but he was claimed by the Los Angeles Rams, with whom he played one regular-season and one playoff game at the end of their season before becoming a Plan B free agent. Seivers signed with the New England Patriots in 1989. Although Lin Dawson started at tight end, Sievers established career highs the year with 54 receptions for 615 yards.