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Donnie Elder

Retired

Los Angeles Chargers · DB

Donnie Elder recorded 82 indexed regular-season NFL appearances across 7 rostered seasons with San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions, Pittsburgh Steelers, New York Jets.

▶Best highlights

0.0

tackles/gm

0

playoff games

6

indexed seasons

82

career games

Five defining games

Start here

A provisional five-game introduction to Donnie Elder's most significant indexed performances.

Regular Season
1991
SEATTLESEAHAWKS
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
NOV 10, 1991

Seattle Seahawks vs Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season · Nov 10, 1991

0 tackles · 1 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1990
DENVERBRONCOS
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
NOV 11, 1990

Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season · Nov 11, 1990

0 tackles · 0.5 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1991
DENVERBRONCOS
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
DEC 22, 1991

Denver Broncos vs Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season · Dec 22, 1991

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1991
MIAMIDOLPHINS
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
DEC 15, 1991

Miami Dolphins vs Los Angeles Chargers

Regular Season · Dec 15, 1991

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Regular Season
1991
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
KANSAS CITYCHIEFS
DEC 8, 1991

Los Angeles Chargers vs Kansas City Chiefs

Regular Season · Dec 8, 1991

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 0 INT

Single-game peaks

Career highs

Position-relevant single-game records from Donnie Elder's indexed NFL box scores.

Career high: 1 interception

Regular Season
1991
LOS ANGELESCHARGERS
NEW YORKJETS
NOV 24, 1991

Los Angeles Chargers vs New York Jets

Regular Season · Nov 24, 1991

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career high: 9 interception return yards

Regular Season
1988
PHILADELPHIAEAGLES
TAMPA BAYBUCCANEERS
SEP 4, 1988

Philadelphia Eagles vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Regular Season · Sep 4, 1988

0 tackles · 0 sacks · 1 INT

Career chapters

Franchise eras

Follow the team eras that shaped Donnie Elder's career, in chronological order.

Earliest → latest

Franchise era

1981–1996

01
NYJELDER—Donnie Elder
NYJGASTINEAU99Mark Gastineau
NYJKLECKO—Joe Klecko

Pass rush returns the Jets to January

New York Jets · The Sack Exchange and more near misses

The Sack Exchange led consecutive playoff teams, and the 1986 club began 10–1 before injuries and an overtime loss ended its run.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1959–1988

02
DETELDER—Donnie Elder
DETLEBEAU—Dick LeBeau
DETBARNEY—Lem Barney

Great defenders and Billy Sims cannot sustain a winner

Detroit Lions · The long wait

Detroit produced elite players but only intermittent contention, and Sims's career-altering injury removed the brightest offensive hope.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1980–1991

03
PITELDER—Donnie Elder
PITSTALLWORTH—John Stallworth
PITWOODSON26Rod Woodson

The old champions fade while defense reloads

Pittsburgh Steelers · After the dynasty

Pittsburgh remained competitive as its Hall of Famers retired and Woodson became the versatile star of a new defensive generation.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1983–1995

04
TBELDER—Donnie Elder
TBWILDER32James Wilder
TBGRUBER74Paul Gruber

Instability follows Williams's departure

Tampa Bay Buccaneers · The lost creamsicle years

Ownership decisions and constant coaching change produced fourteen straight losing seasons before new leadership began a cultural reset.

Read the era story →

Franchise era

1986–2000

05
LACELDER—Donnie Elder
LACSEAU55Junior Seau
LACHUMPHRIES12Stan Humphries

Defense carries an unlikely champion of the AFC

Los Angeles Chargers · Seau and the first Super Bowl

Seau became the emotional center of the franchise and the 1994 Chargers won three straight playoff games to reach Super Bowl XXIX.

Read the era story →

Career accomplishments

7 NFL seasons82 career games2 career sacksJersey: 00 playoff appearancesFirst appearance: Sep 8, 1985Most recent: Dec 22, 1991

Official awards via ESPN · Pro Bowl and All-Pro counts via NFLverse with selection years cross-checked against Wikipedia · league leads verified from indexed regular-season stats

Team history