SAN DIEGO -- Another year passed with former San Diego Chargers coach Don Coryell not receiving enough votes for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
And that's disappointing for ex-Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts, who said he would not be in the Hall of Fame without the contributions of his head coach.
Fouts said he was allowed to attend the selection process meeting this year as an observer. It's the first time members of the Hall of Fame were allowed in the room to observe.
"Don contributed so much to the way the game is played today, on both sides of the ball," Fouts told Xtra 1360 Fox Sports radio. "He has influenced the game more than many, many guys. And some of the guys that are finalists would not be finalists had they not played in the Don Coryell system."
To be elected, a finalist must receive 80 percent of votes. Rules state between four and eight new members must be selected, and no more than five modern-era finalists can be elected each year.
That means a handful of deserving candidates are not voted in each year due to the limited spots available.
Nick Canepa, a longtime columnist for The San Diego Union-Tribune who is one of the 46 members of the Hall of Fame selection committee, believes coaches should be considered as contributors instead of included in the player pool.
"I wanted the contributor category for years, because I don't think it is fair for coaches, general managers and owners to be considered with players," Canepa told the Chargers' website. "Then they made [the category], but they didn't include the coaches in it. To me, that makes absolutely no sense because coaches are contributors.
"I don't think there is anybody in that room who doesn't acknowledge Coryell's strength to be in the Hall of Fame for what he did to the game. But there are some people who are always quick to point out and you just aren't going to convince because he never made it to the Super Bowl as a coach."
Fouts agrees.
"The problem for coaches is they are lumped in with players," Fouts said. "Now, if you take them out of that category and put them in the contributor's category, he's a lock."
Like Fouts states, Coryell belongs in the club because of his contributions to the game.
With his offense dubbed "Air Coryell" because of its ability to create explosive plays, Coryell was one of the developers of the pass-catching tight end, spawned the three-digit play-calling system that some NFL teams still use, and originated the one-back offense.
Coryell also designed the passing tree of receiving routes that is now used at all levels of football.
Coryell's offense led the NFL in passing yardage for six straight seasons from 1978 to 1983 while he was with the Chargers, and again in 1985.
The offense produced three Hall of Famers in wide receiver Charlie Joiner, tight end Kellen Winslow and Fouts.