Why doesn’t Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman get the love of the other Chargers greats?
April 16, 2026
Why doesn’t Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman get the love of the other Chargers greats?
43 comments
I would argue he’s one of the most beloved and talked about former Chargers players, he’s still regularly involved with the team and has been in a ton of our social media the last few years.
Getting popped for roids at a horrible time.
Caught juicing. Then got hurt and was never the same after both.
He only had three good seasons. The last three seasons he only played in 17 games (total) and had 4 sacks, all in 2009.
Honestly? Because he’s not a “great”. His first three years set himself up on that trajectory but that was pretty much all of his career.
Edit: Also he get’s plenty of love. Dude is at like every game and gets a shutout.
am i dumb or smthn i thought he was loved. i have his jersey lol
Tila Tequila
He’s a regular at chargers home games and tailgates, and gets absolutely swarmed!! He’s featured with LT in the “storms coming” pregame video and all over Charger social media. He’s plenty loved by fans
If we got six or seven seasons of him in his prime, it would’ve been a different story would’ve been up there with the other greats.
He is remembered as a good charger but not great. Potential to be great but injuries and suspensions cut his career short.
Shawne merriman was my first jersey I ever got
Those 3 seasons of the juiced up lights out were magical. The guy would get me insanely hyped flipping the light switch he got tattooed on his arm.
His light shined bright for a very short time. I was a huge fan the second he joined the team, but the disappointment of injuries shortening his career makes it bittersweet. I would kill to have someone that electric on the defense again. He was a different dude
I have a jersey
He’s 8th on the Chargers sack list. Definitely under O’Neal, Bosa, Phillips, as best chargers edge. A lot of people will put him under Ingram as well.
My all time favorite celly
His peak wasn’t as long as the other greats
Because his prime was like 18 months
Correct me if I’m wrong didn’t he beat up Tila tequila ?
He gets love, he just doesn’t get the massive amount of respect players like LT and Seau get which he shouldn’t. He was great but his ped use and personal life muddied the waters a bit.
He was great, but he doesn’t even belong in the conversation with the “greats”.
Probably getting caught for peds but he is still considered a great charger
explained well below. Roids and injury. But I follow him on Twitter. Very personable and informed guy and still a great Charger booster.
I mean I go to most games at sofi and he’s always there and gets lots of love him LT and gates are some of the most involved former players
“On July 21, 2017, Kimberly Fattorini was found dead from an apparent overdose. Fattorini’s parents, Deann and Ferdinand, filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Merriman, a nightclub, and others, alleging the girl was drugged and possibly assaulted before her death. 38 Merriman was present when Fattorini passed out and a friend of hers called 911. In the suit, Fattorini’s parents claim their daughter sent texts earlier that night saying Merriman poured something in her drink. They now believe that something was GHB – a powerful depressant commonly referred to as “the date rape drug.”[39] When paramedics arrived midday July 21, 2017, they found Fattorini unresponsive on the floor, half-naked, “with her jeans unzipped and unbuttoned, as though someone had tried to pull her jeans on to her body before the police or paramedics arrived.” Her bra was twisted. She was not wearing underwear, though she had been earlier that night. [40] The coroner did not perform a sexual assault exam; by the time an LASD detective requested one, “in light of additional information he had received,” it was no longer possible.”
That hit on Priest Holmes was crazy. Priest was never the same again.
As someone who watches his whole career,the juicing scandal really killed the hype for him.
But people forget he also wasn’t on the team very long. Only 6 seasons with the team and he struggled in the last 3 of them.
Absolute beast and a very intelligent commentator.
Damned injuries.
He was damn menace to society for a while. He was not a good influence on young members of the team.
He got suspended for juicing.
He got arrested and then released for bullshit with Tila Tequila
If you went downtown at all while he was on the team, he was holding court at Stingaree.
Great player, bad influence.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
Was always,one of my favs.His shelf life, wasn’t that long though.I think the whole,steroids stigma really unfairly singled him out as well.Let us be honest,this was an issue in all professional sports.The team doctors, didn’t help.Lights Out Merriman,the man the Beast and the Legend 💪 ⚡⚡⚡
His very short run was more impactful than a lot of other players, for him to still get the love he receives even after all the bs he’s done outside of the nfl tells you how big his impact was, the 4 horseman in 2006 were LT, Rivers, Gates, and Merriman, dude was a superstar, i remember everyone having either LT’s or his jersey, all the chicks loved him and all the dudes would get hype af when he sacked a QB…
That being said, he’s definitely not a great, but will
be remembered as an absolute monster on the field even if it was only a couple seasons, Lights OUT! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Met the dude in Sycuan. Really chill dude
He didn’t play long enough, and when he did he was juiced.
He was very good but the first three things that come to mind when remembering him are
1. Lights out sack celebration
2. PED bust
3. Getting absolutely trucked by Maurice Jones Drew
MJD. Final answer
One and.Done
He was my favorite Charger during his peak. Seau is my favorite football player of all-time and Merriman looked to be headed towards a similar career before the injuries and failed drug test.
Still one of my favorite Chargers of all-time despite it all.
What? I feel like he definitely is. After LT, Gates, and Rivers, him, Sprolles, Hardwick, and Lorenzo are the next guys who get brought up a lot by the guys who watched those mid 2000 teams.
Roids
I went to chargers Steelers last season and he walked down thunder alley. I seen him and lost my shit lol. Just stared yelling and praising him. There may or may not of been beer(s) involved
I love San Diego chargers and he was a fuckin legend for us
Tila Tequila + Roids
One time I saw him sitting at a gate at the airport eating some McDonald’s. When he was finished he just threw all his trash on the seats and floor and left it. Honestly, that turned me off him completely. Low character behavior. And unpopular opinion – his lights out dance was so fucking stupid looking.
43 comments
I would argue he’s one of the most beloved and talked about former Chargers players, he’s still regularly involved with the team and has been in a ton of our social media the last few years.
Getting popped for roids at a horrible time.
Caught juicing. Then got hurt and was never the same after both.
He only had three good seasons. The last three seasons he only played in 17 games (total) and had 4 sacks, all in 2009.
Honestly? Because he’s not a “great”. His first three years set himself up on that trajectory but that was pretty much all of his career.
Edit: Also he get’s plenty of love. Dude is at like every game and gets a shutout.
am i dumb or smthn i thought he was loved. i have his jersey lol
Tila Tequila
He’s a regular at chargers home games and tailgates, and gets absolutely swarmed!! He’s featured with LT in the “storms coming” pregame video and all over Charger social media. He’s plenty loved by fans
If we got six or seven seasons of him in his prime, it would’ve been a different story would’ve been up there with the other greats.
Pro Bowls
LT: 5
Allen: 6
Alworth: 7
Gates: 8
Rivers : 8
Seau: 12
Merriman: 3
He is remembered as a good charger but not great. Potential to be great but injuries and suspensions cut his career short.
Shawne merriman was my first jersey I ever got
Those 3 seasons of the juiced up lights out were magical. The guy would get me insanely hyped flipping the light switch he got tattooed on his arm.
His light shined bright for a very short time. I was a huge fan the second he joined the team, but the disappointment of injuries shortening his career makes it bittersweet. I would kill to have someone that electric on the defense again. He was a different dude
I have a jersey
He’s 8th on the Chargers sack list. Definitely under O’Neal, Bosa, Phillips, as best chargers edge. A lot of people will put him under Ingram as well.
My all time favorite celly
His peak wasn’t as long as the other greats
Because his prime was like 18 months
Correct me if I’m wrong didn’t he beat up Tila tequila ?
He gets love, he just doesn’t get the massive amount of respect players like LT and Seau get which he shouldn’t. He was great but his ped use and personal life muddied the waters a bit.
He was great, but he doesn’t even belong in the conversation with the “greats”.
Probably getting caught for peds but he is still considered a great charger
explained well below. Roids and injury. But I follow him on Twitter. Very personable and informed guy and still a great Charger booster.
I mean I go to most games at sofi and he’s always there and gets lots of love him LT and gates are some of the most involved former players
“On July 21, 2017, Kimberly Fattorini was found dead from an apparent overdose. Fattorini’s parents, Deann and Ferdinand, filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Merriman, a nightclub, and others, alleging the girl was drugged and possibly assaulted before her death. 38 Merriman was present when Fattorini passed out and a friend of hers called 911. In the suit, Fattorini’s parents claim their daughter sent texts earlier that night saying Merriman poured something in her drink. They now believe that something was GHB – a powerful depressant commonly referred to as “the date rape drug.”[39] When paramedics arrived midday July 21, 2017, they found Fattorini unresponsive on the floor, half-naked, “with her jeans unzipped and unbuttoned, as though someone had tried to pull her jeans on to her body before the police or paramedics arrived.” Her bra was twisted. She was not wearing underwear, though she had been earlier that night. [40] The coroner did not perform a sexual assault exam; by the time an LASD detective requested one, “in light of additional information he had received,” it was no longer possible.”
That hit on Priest Holmes was crazy. Priest was never the same again.
As someone who watches his whole career,the juicing scandal really killed the hype for him.
But people forget he also wasn’t on the team very long. Only 6 seasons with the team and he struggled in the last 3 of them.
Absolute beast and a very intelligent commentator.
Damned injuries.
He was damn menace to society for a while. He was not a good influence on young members of the team.
He got suspended for juicing.
He got arrested and then released for bullshit with Tila Tequila
If you went downtown at all while he was on the team, he was holding court at Stingaree.
Great player, bad influence.
[ Removed by Reddit ]
Was always,one of my favs.His shelf life, wasn’t that long though.I think the whole,steroids stigma really unfairly singled him out as well.Let us be honest,this was an issue in all professional sports.The team doctors, didn’t help.Lights Out Merriman,the man the Beast and the Legend 💪 ⚡⚡⚡
His very short run was more impactful than a lot of other players, for him to still get the love he receives even after all the bs he’s done outside of the nfl tells you how big his impact was, the 4 horseman in 2006 were LT, Rivers, Gates, and Merriman, dude was a superstar, i remember everyone having either LT’s or his jersey, all the chicks loved him and all the dudes would get hype af when he sacked a QB…
That being said, he’s definitely not a great, but will
be remembered as an absolute monster on the field even if it was only a couple seasons, Lights OUT! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Met the dude in Sycuan. Really chill dude
He didn’t play long enough, and when he did he was juiced.
He was very good but the first three things that come to mind when remembering him are
1. Lights out sack celebration
2. PED bust
3. Getting absolutely trucked by Maurice Jones Drew
MJD. Final answer
One and.Done
He was my favorite Charger during his peak. Seau is my favorite football player of all-time and Merriman looked to be headed towards a similar career before the injuries and failed drug test.
Still one of my favorite Chargers of all-time despite it all.
What? I feel like he definitely is. After LT, Gates, and Rivers, him, Sprolles, Hardwick, and Lorenzo are the next guys who get brought up a lot by the guys who watched those mid 2000 teams.
Roids
I went to chargers Steelers last season and he walked down thunder alley. I seen him and lost my shit lol. Just stared yelling and praising him. There may or may not of been beer(s) involved
I love San Diego chargers and he was a fuckin legend for us
Tila Tequila + Roids
One time I saw him sitting at a gate at the airport eating some McDonald’s. When he was finished he just threw all his trash on the seats and floor and left it. Honestly, that turned me off him completely. Low character behavior. And unpopular opinion – his lights out dance was so fucking stupid looking.
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