Ed White

Edward Alvin White (born April 4, 1947)

Early life White was born in Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California, and grew up in Lemon Grove. where he graduated from Indio High School.

Professional career White began his professional football career with the Minnesota Vikings after being selected in the second round of the 1969 NFL/AFL draft. The Vikings moved him to offensive guard, joining a line that included Mick Tingelhoff, Ron Yary, and Grady Alderman. White played another eight seasons with the Chargers and became a fan favorite. San Diego finished 9–7 in 1978 for their first winning season in nine years. and their potent Air Coryell offense led the league in multiple other categories. and they advanced to the AFC Championship Game twice (1980, 1981). which led the NFL from 1981 to 1983 in fewest sacks allowed per pass attempt. In the 1985 season finale, he played in his 241st career NFL game, breaking his former Minnesota teammate Mick Tingelhoff's record for most games by an NFL offensive lineman. Prior to the 1986 season, White retired after 17 years.

After retiring from playing, White worked for the Chargers as an offensive line coach in 1986 and 1987. Breitbard Hall of Fame, East-West Shrine Game Hall of Fame, and Chargers Hall of Fame. As a testament to his impact on every team he played on, White was selected in 2015 to the Pac-12 All Century Football team as a defensive tackle for Cal.

Charger quarterback Dan Fouts has been vocal about endorsing White for the Pro Football Hall of Fame: “When he retired, nobody had played in more games (241) as an offensive lineman than Ed White. They don’t have many statistics for offensive linemen other than Pro Bowls and Super Bowls, but Ed would be a leader. He was one of the most feared offensive linemen in the game. You talk to guys like Howie Long and Matt Millen who had to go against Big Ed. They hated it.” Chargers center/guard Dennis McKnight has called White “probably the best all-around offensive lineman in the league in terms of run blocking and pass blocking.” Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Kyle Turley has called White the best coach he'd ever had. He was inducted into the California High School Football Hall of Fame in September 2024.

Later life After football, White devoted his life to a wide range of art, including painting, sculpting and poetry. He was active in Westward Ho, a foundation that taught children about the pioneer experience. After the founder died, White became the executive director and renamed it to Oak Lake Art Center. In 2018, White was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.