LaDainian Tomlinson: Career retrospective

It’s often said everything is bigger in Texas. High school football is no exception. The home crowd for a Texas high school football game is reminiscent of the pros. And L.T. gave Texans a show every Friday night. 

At University High School, Tomlinson played basketball, baseball, track, and football. You might be surprised to find out Tomlinson started his high school career as a linebacker and fullback. He made the switch to halfback his senior year. The rest is history. In his new position, Tomlinson blew up, rushing for 2,554 yards and 39 touchdowns. University went 12-2 that year. Tomlinson received offers from Texas Christian University (TCU), Baylor, Kansas State, and The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP).

With so many offers from some of the top programs in Texas, Tomlinson committed to TCU. In his freshman and sophomore years, Tomlinson was part of a running back by committee offense, splitting touches with other backfield members. Regardless of the role, Tomlinson still showed glimmers of the player he’d become. It was in his junior year that he put it together.

During his sophomore year, TCU beat the University of Southern California (USC) in the Sun Bowl. It was TCU’s first Bowl Game victory since 1956!

Tomlinson bulldozed his way to 1,974 yards and 20 touchdowns in his junior year. The most impressive accomplishment of this season was his performance against UTEP. He ran for 406 yards and six touchdowns. Tomlinson broke the record for most rushing yards in a game for the FBS, and TCU won 52-24. This game put Tomlinson on the map. 

The record has since been broken by Melvin Gordon, Samaje Perine, and later Jaret Patterson.

Tomlinson followed his junior year with another great outing. In his final year in college, Tomlinson rushed for 2,158 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was the best running back in the country from start to finish. Tomlinson was a Consensus All-American and won the Doak Walker Award, given to college football’s best running back. Tomlinson finished fourth in Heisman voting.

Tomlinson rushed for 5,387 yards and 56 touchdowns at TCU. He was a blue-chip prospect in the 2001 Draft and widely considered the most complete running back in the class. 

The San Diego Chargers went 1-15 in 2000. They won the first overall pick in the draft but traded it to the Atlanta Falcons, where they’d select Mike Vick out of Virginia Tech. Desperate for a star to bring the Chargers back to prominence, the team selected Tomlinson fifth overall.

The kid from Rosebud, Texas, was going to the NFL.

Tomlinson provided an immediate spark when he touched down in sunny San Diego. As the feature back of the offense, Tomlinson came out the gates his rookie year with 1,236 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. There was no learning curve for Tomlinson. He dominated from the get-go. Eventually, he received the nickname L.T.

The Chargers went 5-11 in his rookie year, a four-win improvement from the previous year.

In 2002, L.T. logged 1,683 yards and 14 touchdowns. He caught 79 receptions for 489 yards and a touchdown. L.T. received his first Pro Bowl nod at the end of the year. It was his first of five visits to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl. He was selected in 2002, ’04, ’05, ’06, and ’07.

Determined to build a winner, the Chargers’ front office got to work. L.T. was their centerpiece of the rebuild. 

In 2002, they hired Marty Schottenheimer to lead the team to victory. He’d become one of the best coaches L.T. ever had.

Every great running back needs a good fullback. In 2003, they signed fullback Lorenzo Neal. The 5-foot-11, 255-pound freight train blocked for L.T. during his prime. Neal introduced Tomlinson at his Hall of Fame speech, giving him his Gold Jacket.

In 2003, they signed Kent State basketball star Antonio Gates as an undrafted free agent. Gates excelled at tight end, suiting up for the Chargers his entire career and catching 116 touchdowns.

They drafted legendary quarterback Drew Brees out of Purdue. When he suffered a torn labrum in the 2005 season, The Chargers let him walk — mainly because they had Philip Rivers on the bench as a backup. The fact the Chargers let Brees walk is considered a major “what if” moment in NFL history. 

The Chargers also compiled a solid defense of heavy hitters and playmakers.

L.T. was in his prime in the mid-2000s. He was the best running back in the league by a wide margin, becoming an impact player for the Chargers. Tomlinson won back-to-back rushing titles (2006, ’07) and led the league in rushing three times (2004, ’06, ’07). He was also a five-time Pro Bowler and a three-time First-Team All-Pro selection. L.T. was unstoppable, piling the awards along the way.

L.T.s best year came in 2006. The bonafide superstar rushed for 1,815 yards and 28 touchdowns. He had 56 receptions, 508 yards, and three touchdowns through the air. He broke the record for most touchdowns in a season with 31. 

L.T. won NFL MVP honors for his incredible year. Quarterbacks almost always win MVP in the NFL. It’s just the way it goes. This makes L.T.’s MVP even more impressive. He also won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award, the Bert Bell Award, and Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2006.

The Chargers went 14-2 and lost to the New England Patriots in the Divisional Round. To the shock of many, the Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer. They replaced him with Norv Turner.

It isn’t easy to sum up L.T.’s career in words. The best way to honor L.T.’s legendary career is by mentioning he’s the ultimate offensive weapon. He was as versatile as they come.

The running back could cut on a dime, had brute strength and power, and his game-breaking acceleration left the other team in the dust. He used his excellent ball carrier vision to find the open hole in the defense and make them pay. He had a natural ability to find the end zone. In goal-line situations, he’d go airborne for the touchdown. These memorable touchdowns exemplified his will to win and became one of many signature moves for the back.

He could also beat you as a pass catcher. The dual-threat came into the league as a solid receiving back and only got better as the years went on. Tomlinson also had seven passing touchdowns over his career.

L.T. was putting in the work on the gridiron. The Chargers bloomed into perennial playoff contenders in the AFC under his leadership. However, the Chargers often struggled to get over the hump when they got to the playoffs. In particular, against the New England Patriots, who had quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick. They lost to them in 2006 in the Divisional Round and again in the 2007 AFC Championship Game. Tomlinson’s best years were stopped short because of the Patriots dynasty.

Tomlinson is arguably one of the best players to never win a Super Bowl.

L.T. logged 730 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2009. It would go down as his final year in San Diego. After nine years with the Bolts, his impact on the organization was not questioned.

2009 marked the first year L.T. finished with under 1,000 rushing yards. L.T. ran for 1,000 yards or more in eight consecutive seasons. He also scored 10 touchdowns or more in nine straight seasons. This might be the last time we see a legendary run like this. The pass-first mentality has taken over in the NFL, giving modern running backs fewer chances to shine. L.T. was the last of a dying breed.

Tomlinson signed with the New York Jets as a free agent in 2010. He’d finished his career with the Jets.

Jets head coach Rex Ryan loved running the ball. Tomlinson was a perfect fit in New York. He formed a 1-2 punch with Shonn Greene. Tomlinson ended the 2010 campaign with 914 rushing yards and six touchdowns. In the playoffs, Tomlinson and the Jets lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC Conference Championship Game. It was the closest L.T. would ever get to the Big Game.

L.T. was named to the NFL 2000s All-Decade Team. The honor solidified his place as one of the best players of his era. No one gained more rushing yards than L.T. in the 2000s.

In his second year with the Jets, L.T. ‘s body started giving in to the wear and tear all running backs face as they age. He was the feature back of his offense longer than most. At 32 years old, Tomlinson ran for 280 yards and a touchdown. He notched 42 receptions for 449 yards and two touchdowns. L.T. called it a career at the end of the 2011 season.

L.T. has built himself an impressive resume off the field. In 2012, he became an analyst on NFL Network. He has thrived in the role. The Chargers hired him as a special assistant to the organization, an executive position where L.T. helps the team make important decisions. 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention that L.T. was inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2017. Tomlinson finished his career with 3,174 carries, 13,684 yards, and 145 touchdowns. A threat as a pass catcher out of the backfield, he caught 624 receptions, 4,772 yards, and 17 touchdowns. L.T. was simply electric.

L.T. is an icon of 2000s football. He’s inspired countless kids to play football and became a legend for his incredible performances. L.T. was everything you wanted out of a modern halfback.

He holds basically every rushing record for the Chargers. He has the most touchdowns in a season with 31. On the all-time list, he is second in touchdowns (145) and seventh in rushing yards (13,684). If you look at the NFL record books, you’ll find his name.