SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Chargers are advising fans to arrive early for Thursday's 5:25 p.m. game against the Denver Broncos, with Qualcomm Stadium's parking lot opening at 1 p.m.
The Metropolitan Transit Service will begin additional trolley service at 2:25 p.m. Trolley cars could fill up in both directions to the stadium as early as 3:30 p.m., a team official said.
The Chargers will wear royal blue "Color Rush" uniforms, the first time they have worn royal blue since 1984. They switched to navy blue in 1985.
To compliment the royal blue jerseys, pants, socks and shoes, the players will also wear helmets with gold facemasks that were also worn during the team's "Air Coryell" era from 1978-84.
The NFL partnered with Nike to begin the Color Rush program in 2015; players wear apparel from neck to toe in one of the team's current or historic colors on Thursday night games.
"We met with Nike and went through several options," said President of Business Operations A.G. Spanos. "Wearing the royal blue was an idea that we got really excited about. It's a color from our past that is synonymous with an era we all feel fondly about. It is something we think the fans will enjoy seeing again."
All of the NFL proceeds from the sale of Color Rush jerseys will go directly to the NFL Foundation, the league's nonprofit organization, to fund health, safety and wellness programs for youth around the nation.
The NFL Foundation funds grants to support athletes, youth football and the communities. The first $500,000 raised from this initiative was earmarked to replace youth and high school football equipment and fields lost in August's floods in Louisiana.
Raymond Uzeta, president and CEO of The Chicano Federation, will be honored as the Chargers recipient of the NFL's Hispanic Heritage Award in connection with Hispanic Heritage Month.
The foundation provides child care, youth and senior services, leadership and small business training and housing development.
Mariachi Real de San Diego and Ballet Xochitl will perform at halftime.
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Jerry Gomes will be honored at the Salute to Service Moment. He is the sergeant major for Marine Aircraft Group 13, Third Marine Aircraft Wing.
Gomes has been deployed eight times during his 23-year career, including multiple deployments to Japan, Iraq and Afghanistan. His awards include a Combat Action Ribbon, Meritorious Service Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
Aircraft from the March Air Reserve Base will conduct a military flyover. The Frog X parachute team, featuring retired Navy SEALs, will be landing onto the field before the opening kickoff.
