text: 1996–2001 During the 1996 season, running back Rodney Culver was killed in the crash of ValuJet Flight 592 in the Florida Everglades. Linebacker David Griggs had been killed in a single-car crash in Davie, Florida eleven months earlier.
  In the 1997 season, Beathard dismissed Ross. Kevin Gilbride became the Chargers' new head coach. Gilbride encouraged a more open passing attack, a major change in offensive style. Humphries suffered several concussions due to a lack of pass protection and retired. After trades of players and draft choices to the Arizona Cardinals, Beathard selected quarterback Ryan Leaf with the second pick of the 1998 NFL Draft.
  In the 1998 season, the Chargers went 5–11. Rodney Harrison said, "If I had to go through another year like that, I'd probably quit playing." When Gilbride left, he was replaced by an interim head coach, June Jones, a member of the Chargers' staff. Jones left the team at the end of the 1998 season to coach at the University of Hawaii. The Chargers' new head coach was Mike Riley from Oregon State University. Due to his poor play and attitude, Leaf was released after the 2000 season. Jim Harbaugh, who was acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional draft choice in 2000, became the Chargers' starting quarterback.