longevity to Coryell: "Thanks to Coach Coryell’s offense and his revolutionary passing game, he prolonged my career, from the day I got to the Chargers until the day I retired. I will forever be grateful to him and what he did for the game of football." Legacy Joiner excelled despite neither being among the quickest nor most talented receivers in the NFL. Throughout his career, he was overshadowed by more glamorous receiving mates, including Jerry LeVias and Ken Burrough in Houston, Isaac Curtis in Cincinnati, and Jefferson, Chandler, and Winslow with San Diego. In addition to good health and longevity, Joiner was an intelligent player and precise pass route runner. Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh called Joiner "the most intelligent, the smartest, the most calculating receiver the game has ever known." Gibbs, his offensive coordinator in San Diego, praised Joiner as "a totally dedicated guy who was just a great producer". "Without guestion, he is the finest technician—running routes and reading coverages—in the National Football League", said Ernie Zampese, the Chargers' receiving coach. He was Fouts' favorite receiver on third down. "All I’m trying to do out there is look for a port in a storm. He’s the port. Having Charlie is like having a fail-safe button," said Fouts. Joiner was inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. He was voted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1996, becoming the third Grambling player to be selected. In 1999, he was ranked No. 100 on The Sporting News list of the 100 greatest football players. He was inducted into the Black College Football Hall of Fame in 2013. Coaching career In 1987, Chargers head coach Al Saunders hired Joiner as an assistant coach. He was later an assistant for the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs. Joiner returned to San Diego as receivers coach from 2008 to 2012 before retiring after 44 years as a player and coach in football. See also List of National Football League career receiving yards leaders References External links 1947 births Living people African-American coaches of American football African-American players of American football American Conference Pro Bowl players American Football League players American football wide receivers Cincinnati Bengals players Grambling State Tigers football players Houston Oilers players Kansas City Chiefs coaches People from Many, Louisiana Players of American football from Louisiana Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees San Diego Chargers