LaDainian Tomlinson
Encyclopedia
LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is an American football
running back
for the New York Jets
of the National Football League
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Texas Christian
.
Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L. T., has been selected to five Pro Bowl
s and has been an All-Pro
six times. Tomlinson won two rushing titles, in 2006
and 2007
. During the 2006 NFL season
, he set several records and received numerous honors and awards including the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award and Associated Press
’ Offensive Player of the Year Award.
. His father left the family when Tomlinson was seven years old. Tomlinson did not see his father very often afterwards. His mother worked as a preacher. At age nine, Tomlinson joined the Pop Warner Little Scholars
football program and scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball.
Tomlinson attended University High School in Waco, Texas
, where he played basketball
, baseball
, and football. Tomlinson began his football career as a linebacker
, but blossomed on the offensive side of the ball. Tomlinson amassed 2,554 yards and 39 touchdowns his senior year, earning honors as the District 25-4A Most Valuable Player, Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year.
Tomlinson was an avid Dallas Cowboys
and Miami Hurricanes
fan during his youth. He especially idolized Emmitt Smith
, Jim Brown
, Barry Sanders
and Walter Payton
.
in Fort Worth, Texas
, a small school then in the Western Athletic Conference. Prior to Tomlinson's arrival, TCU had appeared in only one bowl game in the previous 12 seasons (and 2 in the previous 34), and had recently been "downgraded" to a minor conference (the Western Athletic Conference
) after the breakup of the long-standing Southwest Conference.
During Tomlinson's freshman and sophomore years, he split time with Basil Mitchell. In the 1998 season he helped the Horned Frogs to their first bowl win in 41 years against the University of Southern California
in the Sun Bowl
. During his junior season in 1999, he set an NCAA
record for yards in one game with 406 against UTEP. He ended the year with an NCAA-leading 1,850 yards rushing to go along with 18 touchdowns.
In his senior season in 2000, Tomlinson led the NCAA for the second time with 2,158 yards and 22 touchdowns. He won the Doak Walker Award
as the nation's best running back, and was a finalist for the Heisman, but came in fourth. He completed his college career with 5,263 rushing yards, ranking sixth in NCAA Division I history.
The school retired his jersey number (5) during halftime of a November 2005 game against UNLV. In December of that year, Tomlinson fulfilled a promise to his mother by earning his degree in communications from TCU.
selected Tomlinson in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft
, as the fifth overall pick. The Chargers possessed the draft's first selection, but traded the pick to the Atlanta Falcons
, who drafted Michael Vick
. In this way, many consider that Vick and Tomlinson were "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks.
In exchange for San Diego's #1 pick, with which Atlanta selected Vick, the Chargers received Atlanta's #5 pick (used to draft Tomlinson), Atlanta's third-round (67th overall) pick, which San Diego used to select Tay Cody
, and Atlanta's second-round pick in 2002, which San Diego would use to select Reche Caldwell
. San Diego also received Atlanta's wide receiver Tim Dwight
. The Chargers' general manager, John Butler, made the deal contingent on San Diego receiving Dwight, to which Atlanta agreed.
(* represents NFL Combine
)
Tomlinson immediately became the starting running back with the Chargers. He achieved immediate success in the NFL, rushing for over 1,200 yards and making over 50 receptions in each of his seven seasons. He has also proven to be effective as a passer, having completed eight career passes, seven of them for touchdowns and a career passer rating of 154.4.
In 2003, he became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and record 100 receptions in the same season. He also reached his 50th career touchdown in his 4th season (60th game) and was elected to the Pro Bowl
team in 2002
, 2004
, 2005
, and 2006
. Tomlinson also tied Lenny Moore
's all-time record for consecutive games scoring a TD (18).
On October 16, 2005, in the Chargers' victory over the Oakland Raiders
, LaDainian Tomlinson became the 7th player in NFL history to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown in the same game. Despite breaking his ribs towards the end of the 2005 season, LaDainian continued to play and finished the season with 1,462 rushing yards, 370 receiving yards, and a career high 20 touchdowns (18 rushing, 2 receiving). In 2005 he was nominated for the FedEx
Ground Player of the Year Award. Tomlinson placed third behind Tiki Barber
and Shaun Alexander
.
In the 2006 season, he set NFL records by scoring 14 touchdowns in a span of 4 games, 16 touchdowns in span of 5 games, and 19 touchdowns in a span of 6 games, including a franchise record 4 touchdowns in games against the San Francisco 49ers
, Cincinnati Bengals
and the Denver Broncos
. He is the first to score three TDs in three straight games and became the first to score at least 3 in four straight games set the following week. Also, he became the second to have three games of four or more TDs in one season (Marshall Faulk became the first back in 2000). He became the fastest player ever to score 100 touchdowns. On November 19, 2006, Tomlinson accomplished the milestone in 89 games with 102, beating the previous record of 93 games held by Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith. On Dec. 3, 2006, Tomlinson became the first running back to rush for at least 1,236 yards in his first six NFL seasons (he has now done so in his first seven years as well). On December 7, he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
He scored his 29th touchdown against the Denver Broncos in just 13 games (Alexander set the record in 16). His 2 touchdown passes do not count toward this record because the NFL treats them in a separate category. With the first touchdown against Kansas City on December 17, he surpassed the NFL record for most points in a season which had stood for 46 years. Tomlinson would finish his record breaking season with 2,323 yards from scrimmage
and 31 touchdowns (28 rushing, 3 receiving).
Tomlinson went on to rush for 123 yards, catch 2 passes for 64 yards, and score 2 touchdowns in the Chargers divisional playoff loss to the New England Patriots
on January 14, 2007. After the game, he was upset at the Patriots and their head coach Bill Belichick
for performing a victory dance that mocked fellow Charger Shawne Merriman
on the center-field logo at Qualcomm Stadium
.
On January 5, 2007, Tomlinson was awarded with the NFL Most Valuable Player Award for his record-breaking season. He was the runaway winner, receiving 44 of the 50 votes from a panel of nationwide sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Former teammate Drew Brees
, now a New Orleans Saint
, received four votes and Indianapolis
QB Peyton Manning received two votes. Tomlinson was also one of nine Chargers players selected for the 2007 Pro Bowl and also a starting running back of the American Football Conference
. He was also recognized by the Associated Press
as they awarded him their Offensive Player of the Year Award and was later named NBC Player of the Year. He was later named co-holder of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
alongside his aforementioned former teammate Drew Brees. On July 11, 2007, Tomlinson won the ESPY Awards
for Male Athlete of the Year, Best Record-Breaking Performance and Best NFL Athlete, as well as the Hummer
Like Nothing Else Award.
On December 2, 2007 Tomlinson passed Walter Payton
on the all time rushing touchdown list, with his 111th career rushing touchdown, against the Kansas City Chiefs
. A day later, Tomlinson honored Payton by wearing his jersey during a press conference. Tomlinson led the league in rushing with a total of 1,474 rushing yards in 2007, becoming the first player since Edgerrin James
in 2000, to win back-to-back rushing titles. During the year, Tomlinson became the fourth fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history.
Tomlinson ran for just 42 yards on 21 carries and caught 3 passes for 19 yards, but did score a touchdown in the Chargers wild-card playoff victory over the Tennessee Titans
on January 6, 2008. He scored his touchdown on fourth and goal, leaping over the pile and reaching across the goal line to help secure the fourth quarter lead for the Chargers. Tomlinson bruised his left knee and missed the second half of the Chargers divisional playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts
on January 13, 2008. Tomlinson just had two carries and 5 yards in the AFC title game, before sitting out the rest of the game, as the Chargers would lose to the New England Patriots
on January 20, 2008.
Tomlinson did not participate in the Chargers' offseason program in 2008 because of the injury. Much like the previous year, Tomlinson got off to a slow start after jamming his big toe against the Carolina Panthers
the second week into the season. Tomlinson did not record a 100-yard rushing performance until week four against the Oakland Raiders
while having averaged just 3.3 yards per carry the first three weeks. Tomlinson averaged just 17 carries per game up to midseason and had only had four rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. Though Tomlinson managed only two 100-yard rushing performances on the season, he managed to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the 8th consecutive time in his career which placed him third all-time alongside Thurman Thomas for consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons behind Curtis Martin
, Barry Sanders
and Emmitt Smith
. He ended the seasons with a career-low 1,110 rushing yards on a career-low 292 attempts and 11 touchdowns thanks to a three-touchdown performance in the final game of the 2008 season. He also moved up the all-time list of touchdowns, getting his 126th rushing touchdown, which passed Marcus Allen
's 123 and his 141st touchdown moved him closer to Marcus Allen's 145 total touchdowns in a career which is tied for third all-time with wide receiver Terrell Owens
, behind Emmitt Smith
(175) and Jerry Rice
(208). Tomlinson partially tore his groin in the finale against Denver. He played the first half in the wild-card round against the Colts before re-injuring the groin and missing the Charger's divisional loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
.
After a contentious off-season negotiation, Tomlinson and the Chargers came to an agreement on March 10, 2009 to restructure his three-year contract so that he may remain a Charger.
On December 6, 2009, Tomlinson moved into eighth place on the career rushing list, passing both Jim Brown
and Marshall Faulk
, while becoming the fastest player to 150 career touchdowns in the same game. Despite a milestone setting season for Tomlinson, the 2009 season itself was a disappointment. Tomlinson suffered an ankle injury opening day against Oakland that hampered him throughout the season. Along with the injury, Tomlinson's production declined, due to the fact that he was no longer the focus of the offense, and he set career lows in rushing attempts and yards. Though he did score 12 touchdowns, Tomlinson's Yards per rush rate was down to a dismal 3.3 YPR. Despite Tomlinson's struggles, the Chargers cruised to an impressive 13-3 season. Though this optimism would soon be dashed, after San Diego was upset in the second round by the wild-card New York Jets. With Tomlinson being a complete non-factor, the season ended yet again without Tomlinson attaining a championship in San Diego. After much speculation about Tomlinson's future with the team, the Chargers released Tomlinson on February 22, 2010 after nine seasons with the team, ending one of the most successful one-team tenures in professional sports history.
on March 14, 2010. Tomlinson chose to sign with New York because he felt more comfortable with the team's philosophy, personnel and he felt the team offered him the best chance to win a championship.
Tomlinson recorded his first 100 yard rushing game in nearly two years on October 3, 2010 against the Buffalo Bills
. In the game Tomlinson also passed Tony Dorsett
for 7th on the all time rushing list.
On October 31, 2010, Tomlinson reached another career milestone joining Walter Payton
as the only players in NFL history to
gain 13,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards receiving.
On December 6, 2010 against the New England Patriots
on Monday Night Football, LaDainian Tomlinson passed Eric Dickerson
for 6th on the all time rushing list.
On December 19, 2010 LaDainian Tomlinson reached another milestone by passing Marcus Allen
for 6th on the all time yards from scrimmage list.
He finished the season leading the Jets in rushing with 914 yards, though it was widely thought he would be a complement to Shonn Greene
, who he outrushed by 148 yards. It was also Tomlinson's first year in his entire career that he did not record double-digit TDs, as he recorded a career low of 6.
He rushed for 82 yards on 16 attempts and ran for both Jets touchdowns in a 17–16 victory over the Colts in the AFC wild card playoffs. Against the Patriots in the AFC Divisional playoffs, the Jets won 28–21 as Tomlinson rushed for 49 yards on 10 attempts and caught a touchdown. It was his 7th career postseason touchdown. In the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers, the Jets were down 24–10 in the fourth quarter when Tomlinson was unable to score a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal from the one yard line. The Jets went on to lose 24–19. Tomlinson had nine carries for 16 yards.
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum
said after the season that he expected Tomlinson back for 2011 but "things could change." With Greene designated as the starting running back for 2011, Tomlinson began the season as a third-down back and caught six passes for 73 yards in the season opener.
On September 25, 2011 against the Oakland Raiders
Tomlinson caught an 18 yard touchdown pass for his 160th career touchdown, joining Emmitt Smith
and Jerry Rice
as the only players to score 160 career touchdowns.
On October 9, 2011 against the New England Patriots
Tomlinson became the 6th player in NFL history to reach 18,000 yards from scrimmage.
On October 23, 2011 against the San Diego Chargers
Tomlinson became the 4th running back in NFL history to have 600 career receptions, joining Larry Centers
, Marshall Faulk
, and Keith Byars
.
On November 13, 2011 against the New England Patriots
Tomlinson passed Barry Sanders
for 5th on the all time yards from scrimmage list.
In spite of Tomlinson's tenacity on the football field, he is described as quiet and humble.
In 2007 LaDainian's father, Oliver Tomlinson, and brother-in-law Ronald McClain, died in an auto accident. Tomlinson who had a "great relationship" with his father was devastated by the tragedy.
Tomlinson has been featured in several commercials for Nike
, Campbell Soup and Vizio
. As late as 2005, he was wearing Nike Zoom Air football cleats (size 13½).
In April 2007, Tomlinson turned down a request to become the cover athlete and official spokesperson for EA Sports
' Madden NFL 08
video game. Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young
was eventually selected for the cover.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
for the New York Jets
New York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
fifth overall in the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Texas Christian
TCU Horned Frogs football
The TCU Horned Frogs football team is the intercollegiate football team of Texas Christian University. TCU competes as a member of the Mountain West Conference in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, but will move to the Big 12 Conference for the 2012 season. TCU began playing football...
.
Tomlinson, often referred to by his initials, L. T., has been selected to five Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
s and has been an All-Pro
All-Pro
All-Pro is a term mostly used in the NFL for the best players of each position during that season. It began as polls of sportswriters in the early 1920s...
six times. Tomlinson won two rushing titles, in 2006
2006 San Diego Chargers season
The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL...
and 2007
2007 San Diego Chargers season
The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall...
. During the 2006 NFL season
2006 NFL season
The 2006 NFL season was the 87th regular season of the National Football League.Regular season play was held from September 7 to December 31, 2006...
, he set several records and received numerous honors and awards including the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award and Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
’ Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Early years
Tomlinson was born on June 23, 1979 to Loreane Chappelle and Oliver Tomlinson in Rosebud, TexasRosebud, Texas
Rosebud is a city in Falls County, Texas. The population was 1,493 at the 2000 census. As of July, 2007, the population was 1,348, an -8.4% change since 2000. Rosebud is the birthplace of NFL running back LaDainian Tomlinson.-Geography:...
. His father left the family when Tomlinson was seven years old. Tomlinson did not see his father very often afterwards. His mother worked as a preacher. At age nine, Tomlinson joined the Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars
Pop Warner Little Scholars is a non-profit organization that provides youth football, cheerleading, and dance programs for participants in 43 U.S. states and several countries around the world. It is headquartered in Langhorne, Pennsylvania...
football program and scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball.
Tomlinson attended University High School in Waco, Texas
Waco, Texas
Waco is a city in and the county seat of McLennan County, Texas. Situated along the Brazos River and on the I-35 corridor, halfway between Dallas and Austin, it is the economic, cultural, and academic center of the 'Heart of Texas' region....
, where he played basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and football. Tomlinson began his football career as a linebacker
Linebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
, but blossomed on the offensive side of the ball. Tomlinson amassed 2,554 yards and 39 touchdowns his senior year, earning honors as the District 25-4A Most Valuable Player, Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year.
Tomlinson was an avid Dallas Cowboys
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and Miami Hurricanes
Miami Hurricanes
The Miami Hurricanes, of Coral Gables, Florida, are the varsity sports teams of the University of Miami. They compete in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference . The university fields 15 athletic teams for 17 varsity sports...
fan during his youth. He especially idolized Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
, Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
and Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
.
College career
Tomlinson was recruited by many schools, but he was not considered one of the nation's top backs coming out of high school. Many felt this was because Tomlinson did not play running back until his senior year and many top colleges had already made their recruiting choices by then. Thus, Tomlinson signed with Texas Christian UniversityTexas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, a small school then in the Western Athletic Conference. Prior to Tomlinson's arrival, TCU had appeared in only one bowl game in the previous 12 seasons (and 2 in the previous 34), and had recently been "downgraded" to a minor conference (the Western Athletic Conference
Western Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
) after the breakup of the long-standing Southwest Conference.
During Tomlinson's freshman and sophomore years, he split time with Basil Mitchell. In the 1998 season he helped the Horned Frogs to their first bowl win in 41 years against the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
in the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
. During his junior season in 1999, he set an NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
record for yards in one game with 406 against UTEP. He ended the year with an NCAA-leading 1,850 yards rushing to go along with 18 touchdowns.
In his senior season in 2000, Tomlinson led the NCAA for the second time with 2,158 yards and 22 touchdowns. He won the Doak Walker Award
Doak Walker Award
The Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
as the nation's best running back, and was a finalist for the Heisman, but came in fourth. He completed his college career with 5,263 rushing yards, ranking sixth in NCAA Division I history.
The school retired his jersey number (5) during halftime of a November 2005 game against UNLV. In December of that year, Tomlinson fulfilled a promise to his mother by earning his degree in communications from TCU.
College awards and honors
- Mobile Alabama Bowl2000 Mobile Alabama BowlThe 2000 GMAC Mobile Alabama Bowl was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the 2000 NCAA Division I-A football season, and was the second edition of the game...
MVP (2000) - Doak Walker AwardDoak Walker AwardThe Doak Walker Award, first awarded in 1990, honors the United States's top college football running back. It is named after the Southern Methodist and Detroit Lions football player Doak Walker...
(2000) - Jim Brown Trophy (2000)
- Senior BowlSenior BowlThe Senior Bowl is a post-season college football exhibition game played in Mobile, Alabama which showcases the best NFL Draft prospects of those collegiate players who have completed their eligibility. First played in 1950 in Jacksonville, Florida, the game moved to Mobile's Ladd Peebles Stadium...
Most Valuable Player (2001)
2001 NFL Draft
The San Diego ChargersSan Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
selected Tomlinson in the first round of the 2001 NFL Draft
2001 NFL Draft
The 2001 NFL Draft took place on April 21–22, 2001 at the theater at Madison Square Garden, in New York City. This was the 66th National Football League draft in league history. The draft was broadcast on ESPN both days and eventually moved to ESPN2. No teams elected to claim any players in the...
, as the fifth overall pick. The Chargers possessed the draft's first selection, but traded the pick to the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, who drafted Michael Vick
Michael Vick
Michael Dwayne Vick is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League...
. In this way, many consider that Vick and Tomlinson were "traded" for each other, although the transaction was actually the result of traded draft picks.
In exchange for San Diego's #1 pick, with which Atlanta selected Vick, the Chargers received Atlanta's #5 pick (used to draft Tomlinson), Atlanta's third-round (67th overall) pick, which San Diego used to select Tay Cody
Tay Cody
Coronta "Tay" Cody is a former professional gridiron football defensive back who played in the National Football League and the Canadian Football League...
, and Atlanta's second-round pick in 2002, which San Diego would use to select Reche Caldwell
Reche Caldwell
Donald Reche Caldwell, Jr. is a former American college and professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League for six seasons in the early 2000s...
. San Diego also received Atlanta's wide receiver Tim Dwight
Tim Dwight
Timothy Deutch Dwight, Jr. is an American football wide receiver and return specialist who is currently a free agent. He was originally drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the fourth round of the 1998 NFL Draft...
. The Chargers' general manager, John Butler, made the deal contingent on San Diego receiving Dwight, to which Atlanta agreed.
| Pre-draft measureables | ||||||
| Weight | 40 yd 40 yard dash The 40-yard dash is a sprint covering . It is primarily run to evaluate the speed of American football players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting. A player's recorded time in the 40 can have a heavy impact on his prospects in college or professional football... |
20 ss 20 yard shuttle The 20-yard shuttle, also simply called the short shuttle, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the quickness and change-of-direction ability of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
3-cone 3 cone drill The 3 cone drill, or three cone drill, is a test performed by American football athletes at the NFL combine. It is primarily run to evaluate the agility, quickness and fluidity of movement of players by scouts, particularly for the NFL Draft but also for collegiate recruiting... |
Vert Vertical jump A vertical jump or vertical leap is the act of raising one's center of gravity higher in the vertical plane solely with the use of one's own muscles; it is a measure of how high an individual or athlete can elevate off the ground from a standstill.-Types of vertical jump:The vertical jump is... |
BP Bench press The bench press is an exercise of the upper body. For bodybuilding purposes, it is used to stimulate the pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. While on his or her back, the person performing the bench press lowers a weight to the level of the chest, then pushes it back up until the arm is straight... |
Wonderlic |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 221 lb (100.2 kg)* | 4.38s* | 4.21s* | 6.84s* | 40.5 in (102.9 cm)* | 18* | 13* |
NFL Combine
The National Invitational Camp or NFL Scouting Combine, as it is more widely known, is a week-long showcase, occurring every February in Indianapolis, Indiana's Lucas Oil Stadium , where college football players perform physical and mental tests in front of National Football League coaches, general...
)
San Diego Chargers
In 2003, he became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards and record 100 receptions in the same season. He also reached his 50th career touchdown in his 4th season (60th game) and was elected to the Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
team in 2002
2003 Pro Bowl
The 2003 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 2, 2003 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final Score was AFC 45, NFC 20. Ricky Williams of the Miami Dolphins was the game's MVP.-Offense:-Defense:-Special teams:-Offense:-Defense:...
, 2004
2005 Pro Bowl
The 2005 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played February 13, 2005 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The final score was AFC 38 - NFC 27. The most valuable player was Peyton Manning of the Colts. The game holds the record as the latest Pro Bowl played during the calendar year.-Game summary:The game...
, 2005
2006 Pro Bowl
The 2006 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was played on February 12, 2006 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. It marked the 27th consecutive time that the National Football League's all-star game was held in Honolulu...
, and 2006
2007 Pro Bowl
The 2007 AFC-NFC Pro Bowl took place on February 10, 2007, at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The game was held on a Saturday instead of the usual Sunday after the Super Bowl because of a request by broadcaster CBS....
. Tomlinson also tied Lenny Moore
Lenny Moore
Leonard Edward Moore is a former American football halfback who played for Penn State in college and the Baltimore Colts. He came to the Colts in 1956, and had a productive first pro season and was named the NFL Rookie of The Year...
's all-time record for consecutive games scoring a TD (18).
On October 16, 2005, in the Chargers' victory over the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, LaDainian Tomlinson became the 7th player in NFL history to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown in the same game. Despite breaking his ribs towards the end of the 2005 season, LaDainian continued to play and finished the season with 1,462 rushing yards, 370 receiving yards, and a career high 20 touchdowns (18 rushing, 2 receiving). In 2005 he was nominated for the FedEx
FedEx
FedEx Corporation , originally known as FDX Corporation, is a logistics services company, based in the United States with headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee...
Ground Player of the Year Award. Tomlinson placed third behind Tiki Barber
Tiki Barber
Atiim Kiambu Hakeem-Ah "Tiki" Barber is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He played college football at Virginia....
and Shaun Alexander
Shaun Alexander
Shaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
.
In the 2006 season, he set NFL records by scoring 14 touchdowns in a span of 4 games, 16 touchdowns in span of 5 games, and 19 touchdowns in a span of 6 games, including a franchise record 4 touchdowns in games against the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
, Cincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL...
and the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He is the first to score three TDs in three straight games and became the first to score at least 3 in four straight games set the following week. Also, he became the second to have three games of four or more TDs in one season (Marshall Faulk became the first back in 2000). He became the fastest player ever to score 100 touchdowns. On November 19, 2006, Tomlinson accomplished the milestone in 89 games with 102, beating the previous record of 93 games held by Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith. On Dec. 3, 2006, Tomlinson became the first running back to rush for at least 1,236 yards in his first six NFL seasons (he has now done so in his first seven years as well). On December 7, he was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Month.
He scored his 29th touchdown against the Denver Broncos in just 13 games (Alexander set the record in 16). His 2 touchdown passes do not count toward this record because the NFL treats them in a separate category. With the first touchdown against Kansas City on December 17, he surpassed the NFL record for most points in a season which had stood for 46 years. Tomlinson would finish his record breaking season with 2,323 yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage
Yards from scrimmage is an American football and Canadian football statistical measure. In the game of football, progress is measured by advancing the football towards the opposing team's goal line. Progress can be made during play by the offensive team by advancing the ball from the its point of...
and 31 touchdowns (28 rushing, 3 receiving).
Tomlinson went on to rush for 123 yards, catch 2 passes for 64 yards, and score 2 touchdowns in the Chargers divisional playoff loss to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on January 14, 2007. After the game, he was upset at the Patriots and their head coach Bill Belichick
Bill Belichick
William Stephen "Bill" Belichick is an American football head coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. After spending his first 15 seasons in the league as an assistant coach, Belichick got his first head coaching job with the Cleveland Browns in 1991...
for performing a victory dance that mocked fellow Charger Shawne Merriman
Shawne Merriman
Shawne DeAndre Merriman is an American football linebacker for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted 12th overall by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL Draft. On November 2, 2010, the Chargers waived Merriman...
on the center-field logo at Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium
Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area....
.
On January 5, 2007, Tomlinson was awarded with the NFL Most Valuable Player Award for his record-breaking season. He was the runaway winner, receiving 44 of the 50 votes from a panel of nationwide sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Former teammate Drew Brees
Drew Brees
Drew Christopher Brees is a quarterback for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue....
, now a New Orleans Saint
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
, received four votes and Indianapolis
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
QB Peyton Manning received two votes. Tomlinson was also one of nine Chargers players selected for the 2007 Pro Bowl and also a starting running back of the American Football Conference
American Football Conference
The American Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the National Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL....
. He was also recognized by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
as they awarded him their Offensive Player of the Year Award and was later named NBC Player of the Year. He was later named co-holder of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
Walter Payton Man of the Year Award
The Walter Payton Man of the Year award is given annually by the National Football League honoring a player's volunteer and charity work, as well as his excellence on the field. Prior to 1999, it was called simply the NFL Man of the Year Award...
alongside his aforementioned former teammate Drew Brees. On July 11, 2007, Tomlinson won the ESPY Awards
ESPY Awards
An ESPY Award is an accolade presented by the American cable television network ESPN to recognize individual and team athletic achievement and other sports-related performance during the calendar year preceding a given annual ceremony. The first ESPYs were awarded in 1993...
for Male Athlete of the Year, Best Record-Breaking Performance and Best NFL Athlete, as well as the Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
Like Nothing Else Award.
On December 2, 2007 Tomlinson passed Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
on the all time rushing touchdown list, with his 111th career rushing touchdown, against the Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
. A day later, Tomlinson honored Payton by wearing his jersey during a press conference. Tomlinson led the league in rushing with a total of 1,474 rushing yards in 2007, becoming the first player since Edgerrin James
Edgerrin James
Edgerrin Tyree James is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts fourth overall in the 1999 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Miami....
in 2000, to win back-to-back rushing titles. During the year, Tomlinson became the fourth fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history.
Tomlinson ran for just 42 yards on 21 carries and caught 3 passes for 19 yards, but did score a touchdown in the Chargers wild-card playoff victory over the Tennessee Titans
Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter...
on January 6, 2008. He scored his touchdown on fourth and goal, leaping over the pile and reaching across the goal line to help secure the fourth quarter lead for the Chargers. Tomlinson bruised his left knee and missed the second half of the Chargers divisional playoff win over the Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League ....
on January 13, 2008. Tomlinson just had two carries and 5 yards in the AFC title game, before sitting out the rest of the game, as the Chargers would lose to the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on January 20, 2008.
Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
the second week into the season. Tomlinson did not record a 100-yard rushing performance until week four against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
while having averaged just 3.3 yards per carry the first three weeks. Tomlinson averaged just 17 carries per game up to midseason and had only had four rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown. Though Tomlinson managed only two 100-yard rushing performances on the season, he managed to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the 8th consecutive time in his career which placed him third all-time alongside Thurman Thomas for consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons behind Curtis Martin
Curtis Martin
Curtis James Martin, Jr. is a former American football running back. He is an alumnus of Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh and the University of Pittsburgh...
, Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
and Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
. He ended the seasons with a career-low 1,110 rushing yards on a career-low 292 attempts and 11 touchdowns thanks to a three-touchdown performance in the final game of the 2008 season. He also moved up the all-time list of touchdowns, getting his 126th rushing touchdown, which passed Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
's 123 and his 141st touchdown moved him closer to Marcus Allen's 145 total touchdowns in a career which is tied for third all-time with wide receiver Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens
Terrell Owens is an American football wide receiver who is currently a free agent. A six-time Pro Bowl selection, Owens has been one of the dominant receivers of his era...
, behind Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
(175) and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
(208). Tomlinson partially tore his groin in the finale against Denver. He played the first half in the wild-card round against the Colts before re-injuring the groin and missing the Charger's divisional loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
.
After a contentious off-season negotiation, Tomlinson and the Chargers came to an agreement on March 10, 2009 to restructure his three-year contract so that he may remain a Charger.
On December 6, 2009, Tomlinson moved into eighth place on the career rushing list, passing both Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
and Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
, while becoming the fastest player to 150 career touchdowns in the same game. Despite a milestone setting season for Tomlinson, the 2009 season itself was a disappointment. Tomlinson suffered an ankle injury opening day against Oakland that hampered him throughout the season. Along with the injury, Tomlinson's production declined, due to the fact that he was no longer the focus of the offense, and he set career lows in rushing attempts and yards. Though he did score 12 touchdowns, Tomlinson's Yards per rush rate was down to a dismal 3.3 YPR. Despite Tomlinson's struggles, the Chargers cruised to an impressive 13-3 season. Though this optimism would soon be dashed, after San Diego was upset in the second round by the wild-card New York Jets. With Tomlinson being a complete non-factor, the season ended yet again without Tomlinson attaining a championship in San Diego. After much speculation about Tomlinson's future with the team, the Chargers released Tomlinson on February 22, 2010 after nine seasons with the team, ending one of the most successful one-team tenures in professional sports history.
New York Jets
For the first time in his career, Tomlinson entered the free-agent market, with many teams expressing interest. Despite the fact that Tomlinson still believed that he was a number one caliber running back, he would be forced to split time with another running back and after various contract negotiations, Tomlinson signed a two-year, $5.2 million contract with the New York JetsNew York Jets
The New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on March 14, 2010. Tomlinson chose to sign with New York because he felt more comfortable with the team's philosophy, personnel and he felt the team offered him the best chance to win a championship.
Tomlinson recorded his first 100 yard rushing game in nearly two years on October 3, 2010 against the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In the game Tomlinson also passed Tony Dorsett
Tony Dorsett
Anthony "Tony" Drew Dorsett is a former American football running back in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and Denver Broncos.-Early years:...
for 7th on the all time rushing list.
On October 31, 2010, Tomlinson reached another career milestone joining Walter Payton
Walter Payton
Walter Jerry Payton was an American football running back who played for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League for thirteen seasons. Walter Payton was known around the NFL as "Sweetness". He is remembered as one of the most prolific running backs in the history of American football...
as the only players in NFL history to
gain 13,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards receiving.
On December 6, 2010 against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on Monday Night Football, LaDainian Tomlinson passed Eric Dickerson
Eric Dickerson
Eric Demetric Dickerson is a former professional running back in the National Football League who in his career played for the Los Angeles Rams, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Raiders, and Atlanta Falcons.-College career:...
for 6th on the all time rushing list.
On December 19, 2010 LaDainian Tomlinson reached another milestone by passing Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen
Marcus LeMarr Allen is a former American football player and, until recently, was affiliated with CBS as a game analyst. As a professional, Allen ran for 12,243 yards and caught 587 passes for 5,412 yards during his career for both the Los Angeles Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs from 1982 to 1997...
for 6th on the all time yards from scrimmage list.
He finished the season leading the Jets in rushing with 914 yards, though it was widely thought he would be a complement to Shonn Greene
Shonn Greene
-New York Jets:On April 26, 2009 the New York Jets traded up 12 spots to select Greene in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 30 Greene made an appearance in the Jets preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. He rushed twice for six yards as well as catching an 85-yard pass...
, who he outrushed by 148 yards. It was also Tomlinson's first year in his entire career that he did not record double-digit TDs, as he recorded a career low of 6.
He rushed for 82 yards on 16 attempts and ran for both Jets touchdowns in a 17–16 victory over the Colts in the AFC wild card playoffs. Against the Patriots in the AFC Divisional playoffs, the Jets won 28–21 as Tomlinson rushed for 49 yards on 10 attempts and caught a touchdown. It was his 7th career postseason touchdown. In the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers, the Jets were down 24–10 in the fourth quarter when Tomlinson was unable to score a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal from the one yard line. The Jets went on to lose 24–19. Tomlinson had nine carries for 16 yards.
Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum
Mike Tannenbaum
Mike Tannenbaum is a professional American football executive, currently serving as the general manager for the New York Jets of the National Football League.-Cleveland Browns:...
said after the season that he expected Tomlinson back for 2011 but "things could change." With Greene designated as the starting running back for 2011, Tomlinson began the season as a third-down back and caught six passes for 73 yards in the season opener.
On September 25, 2011 against the Oakland Raiders
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Tomlinson caught an 18 yard touchdown pass for his 160th career touchdown, joining Emmitt Smith
Emmitt Smith
Emmitt James Smith, III is a retired American football player who was a running back in the National Football League for fifteen seasons during the 1990s and 2000s. Smith played college football for the University of Florida, where he was an All-American; thereafter, he played professionally for...
and Jerry Rice
Jerry Rice
Jerry Lee Rice is a retired American football wide receiver. He is generally regarded as the greatest wide receiver of all time and one of the greatest players in National Football League history...
as the only players to score 160 career touchdowns.
On October 9, 2011 against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
Tomlinson became the 6th player in NFL history to reach 18,000 yards from scrimmage.
On October 23, 2011 against the San Diego Chargers
San Diego Chargers
The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
Tomlinson became the 4th running back in NFL history to have 600 career receptions, joining Larry Centers
Larry Centers
Larry Eugene Centers is a former American football fullback in the National Football League for 14 seasons, mostly for his first team, the Phoenix/Arizona Cardinals...
, Marshall Faulk
Marshall Faulk
Marshall William Faulk is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League. He is currently an analyst for NFL Total Access, Thursday Night Football, and NFL GameDay Morning on the NFL Network...
, and Keith Byars
Keith Byars
Keith Alan Byars is an American sports broadcaster and former American football player in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and New York Jets.-Early life:...
.
On November 13, 2011 against the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
Tomlinson passed Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders
Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders left the game just short of the all-time rushing record...
for 5th on the all time yards from scrimmage list.
NFL records
- Holds the all-time NFL record for single season touchdowns (31). (The previous record was 28, set in 2005 by Shaun AlexanderShaun AlexanderShaun Edward Alexander is a former American football running back who played for the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Redskins. He was drafted by the Seahawks 19th overall in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Alabama.- Early career :Alexander was born and...
.) - Holds the all-time NFL record for single season rushing touchdowns (28). (The previous record was 27, set in 2003 by Priest Holmes and in 2005 by Shaun Alexander.)
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most points scored in a single season (186). (The previous record was 176, set in 1960 by Paul HornungPaul HornungPaul Vernon Hornung is a retired Hall of Fame professional football player who played for the Green Bay Packers from 1957-66...
.) - Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 2+ rushing touchdowns (38).
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 3+ rushing touchdowns (12)
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 200+ yards from scrimmage in a season (5) in 2003
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 18 or more points in a season (6) in 2006
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 14 or more points in a season (6) in 2006
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most games with 2 or more touchdowns in season (10) in 2006 - tied with Priest Holmes, 2003
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most games with 3 or more touchdowns in season (6) in 2006
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most games with 4 or more touchdowns in season (3) in 2006. - tied with Marshall Faulk, 2000
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games with a rushing touchdown (18) 2004–2005
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games with 2+ rushing touchdowns(8) in 2006
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games with 3+ rushing touchdowns (3) in 2006
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games with a touchdown (18) 2004–2005. - tied with Lenny Moore, 1963-1965* Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games 2+ touchdowns (8) in 2006
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games 3+ touchdowns (4) in 2006
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive games 4+ touchdowns: (2) in 2006 - tied with Marshall Faulk, 2000
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 1,200+ or more yards rushing (7) 2001–2007
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 1,300+ or more yards rushing (6) 2002–2007
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 10+ rushing touchdowns (9) 2001–2009
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 11+ rushing touchdowns (8) 2002–2009 - tied with Emmitt Smith 1990–1996, 1998–1999.
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 12+ rushing touchdowns (7) 2002–2007, 2009
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 13+ rushing touchdowns (7) 2002–2007
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 14+ rushing touchdowns (5) 2002, 2004-2007 - tied with Shaun Alexander, 2001-2005
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 15+ rushing touchdowns (4) 2004–2007
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 17+ rushing touchdowns (3) 2004–2006 - tied with Emmitt Smith 1992, 1994-1995
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 11+ touchdowns (8) 2002–2009
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 12+ touchdowns (8) 2002–2009
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 13+ touchdowns (6) 2002–2007
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 14+ touchdowns (6) 2002–2007
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 15+ touchdowns (6) 2002–2007
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most consecutive seasons with 16+ touchdowns (5) 2003–2007. - tied with Shaun Alexander 2001-2005
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 17+ touchdowns (5) 2003–2007
- Holds the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 18+ touchdowns (4) 2004–2007
- Shares the all-time NFL record for the most seasons with 20+ touchdowns (2) 2005-2006. -tied with 4 other players
Regular season statistics
| Year | Team | G | Att | Yards | TD | Fum | Avg | Rec | Yards | TD | PAtt | PComp | Pct. | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers 2001 San Diego Chargers season -Schedule:-Standings:-References:... |
16 | 339 | 1,236 | 10 | 8 | 3.6 | 59 | 367 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2002 San Diego Chargers season The 2002 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 5–11 record in 2001. It was Marty Schottenheimer's first season as the team's head coach... |
16 | 372 | 1,683 | 14 | 3 | 4.5 | 79 | 489 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2003 San Diego Chargers season The 2003 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 8–8 record in 2002. They finished the campaign 4th in their division and earned the #1 pick in the 2004 NFL draft... |
16 | 313 | 1,645 | 13 | 2 | 5.3 | 100 | 725 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 21 | 1 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2004 San Diego Chargers season The 2004 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2003. They finished the campaign 1st in their division and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets... |
15 | 339 | 1,335 | 17 | 6 | 3.9 | 53 | 341 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 38 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2005 San Diego Chargers season The 2005 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 12–4 record in 2004. They finished the campaign 3rd in their division and as a result missed out on the playoffs. Outside linebacker Shawne Merriman was named rookie of the Year at the end of the season.-NFL... |
16 | 339 | 1,462 | 18 | 3 | 4.3 | 51 | 370 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 75 | 47 | 3 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2006 San Diego Chargers season The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL... |
16 | 348 | 1,815 | 28 | 2 | 5.2 | 56 | 508 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 66.7 | 20 | 2 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2007 San Diego Chargers season The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall... |
16 | 315 | 1,474 | 15 | ||||||||||||
| 4.7 | 60 | 475 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 100 | 17 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| San Diego Chargers 2008 San Diego Chargers season The 2008 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 49th overall season and their 39th in the NFL. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship... |
16 | 292 | 1,110 | 11 | 1 | 3.8 | 52 | 426 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2009 San Diego Chargers season The 2009 San Diego Chargers season was the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons... |
14 | 223 | 730 | 12 | 2 | 3.3 | 20 | 154 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| New York Jets 2010 New York Jets season The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game... |
15 | 219 | 914 | 6 | 4 | 4.2 | 52 | 368 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| New York Jets 2011 New York Jets season The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium... |
9 | 46 | 167 | 1 | 0 | 3.6 | 25 | 312 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 165 | 3,145 | 13,571 | 145 | 31 | 4.3 | 607 | 4,635 | 16 | 12 | 8 | 66.7 | 143 | 7 | 0 |
Post season statistics
| Year | Team | G | Att | Yards | TD | Fum | Avg | Rec | Yards | TD | PAtt | PComp | Pct. | Yards | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers 2004 San Diego Chargers season The 2004 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 4–12 record in 2003. They finished the campaign 1st in their division and made the playoffs for the first time in nine years. In the playoffs they lost in overtime to the New York Jets... |
1 | 26 | 80 | 0 | 0 | 3.1 | 9 | 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2006 San Diego Chargers season The 2006 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 9–7 record in 2005. They finished the campaign as the #1 seed in the AFC ending the season at 14–2, best record in the NFL... |
1 | 23 | 123 | 2 | 0 | 5.3 | 2 | 64 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2007 San Diego Chargers season The 2007 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to equal their 2006 regular season success and avoid another early departure in the playoffs. After a disappointing start under new head coach Norv Turner , they finished the regular season strong, with six straight wins, an overall... |
3 | 30 | 75 | 1 | 1 | 2.5 | 5 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2008 San Diego Chargers season The 2008 San Diego Chargers season was the franchise's 49th overall season and their 39th in the NFL. While they completed the regular season with only an 8–8 record, they nonetheless captured their third consecutive AFC West championship... |
1 | 5 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 5.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| San Diego Chargers 2009 San Diego Chargers season The 2009 San Diego Chargers season was the 50th season for the original American Football League team, and its 40th in the NFL. The Chargers improved upon their regular season record of 8–8 in 2008 and won their division for the fourth straight year and fifth time in six seasons... |
1 | 12 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| New York Jets 2010 New York Jets season The 2010 New York Jets season was the franchise's 41st season in the National Football League, the 51st season overall and the team's first season at New Meadowlands Stadium. The team improved on their 9–7 record from 2009 and reached the playoffs again. The Jets played their first pre-season game... |
3 | 35 | 141 | 2 | 0 | 4.0 | 6 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Totals | 10 | 131 | 468 | 6 | 1 | 3.6 | 25 | 176 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Personal
Tomlinson was introduced to his future wife, LaTorsha Oakley, while the two were students at TCU. The couple married on March 21, 2003. After years of trying to conceive, LaTorsha became pregnant in 2009. Tomlinson's son, Daylen, was born on July 8, 2010.In spite of Tomlinson's tenacity on the football field, he is described as quiet and humble.
In 2007 LaDainian's father, Oliver Tomlinson, and brother-in-law Ronald McClain, died in an auto accident. Tomlinson who had a "great relationship" with his father was devastated by the tragedy.
Tomlinson has been featured in several commercials for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Campbell Soup and Vizio
Vizio
Vizio is a privately held producer of consumer electronics, based in Irvine, California, USA. It was founded in October 2002 as V Inc. Vizio's major partner in the consumer electronics arena is AmTran Technology, a Taiwan-based OEM/ODM that manufactures more than half of the televisions sold...
. As late as 2005, he was wearing Nike Zoom Air football cleats (size 13½).
In April 2007, Tomlinson turned down a request to become the cover athlete and official spokesperson for EA Sports
EA Sports
EA Sports is a brand of Electronic Arts that creates and develops sports video games. Formerly a marketing gimmick of Electronic Arts, in which they tried to mimic real-life sports networks by calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as John...
' Madden NFL 08
Madden NFL 08
Madden NFL 08 is the 2008 edition of the American football video game series published by EA Sports and developed by EA Tiburon. It is the 19th installment in the Madden NFL video game franchise. It features Titans star quarterback Vince Young on the cover. San Diego Chargers defensive end Luis...
video game. Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
was eventually selected for the cover.