Houston Ridge

{{Short description|American football player (1944–2015)}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| image =

| caption =

| position = Defensive end / Defensive tackle

| number =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1944|7|18}}

| birth_place = Madera, California, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2015|10|17|1944|7|18}}

| death_place = San Diego, California, U.S.

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 270

| afldraftyear = 1966

| afldraftround = 13

| afldraftpick = 117

| high_school =

| college = San Diego State

| pastteams =

• San Diego Chargers (1966–1969)

| statlabel1 = Games played

| statvalue1 = 44

| statlabel2 = Games started

| statvalue2 =

| statlabel3 = Fumble recoveries

| statvalue3 = 1

| pfr =

| cfl =

| afl =

| HOF =

| CollegeHOF =

}}

Houston Robert Ridge Jr. (July 18, 1944 – October 17, 2015){{Cite web|url= http://www.andersonragsdalemortuary.com/notices/Houston-RidgeJr |title= Houston Robert Ridge, Jr Obituary |publisher= Anderson-Ragsdale Mortuary |access-date= November 19, 2015}} was a professional American football defensive linemen who played four seasons for the San Diego Chargers of the American Football League (AFL). He achieved notoriety for filing a class-action lawsuit against the team in 1969 after suffering career-ending injuries that he claimed were caused by steroids and amphetamines issued to players. Ridge ultimately reached a $250,000 settlement with the Chargers.{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=3866837| title = Football's first steroids team: the 1963 San Diego Chargers}}