LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is an American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.

Tomlinson was born on June 23, 1979, in Rosebud, Texas, to Loreane Chappelle and Oliver Tomlinson.

His mother worked as a preacher; his father left the family when Tomlinson was seven years old.

Tomlinson did not see his father very often afterward.

He grew up with a brother and a sister and later, also a half-sister and three half-brothers.

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 ran track and played basketball, baseball, and football.

Tomlinson began his football career playing as both a linebacker and a fullback, but blossomed on the offensive side of the ball; he was named to the District 10–4A second-team offense as a running back.

Tomlinson amassed 2,554 yards and 39 touchdowns his senior year, earning honors as the District 25-4A Most Valuable Player and the Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year.

He was named to the state all-star football team in 1997, which included future San Diego teammates Drew Brees (Austin Westlake) and Quentin Jammer (Angleton).

Tomlinson was an avid Dallas Cowboys and Miami Hurricanes fan during his youth.

He idolized Walter Payton and admired Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, and Barry Sanders.

Tomlinson was able to meet Smith while attending a camp run by Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek.

Tomlinson accepted an athletic scholarship at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, then a member of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC).

He played for the TCU Horned Frogs from 1997 to 2000.

Before Tomlinson's arrival, TCU had appeared in only one bowl game in the previous 12 seasons and two in the previous 31, losing both.

They had recently been downgraded to a minor conference (the WAC) after the breakup of the Southwest Conference.

After a successful college football career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft.

He spent nine years with the Chargers, earning five Pro Bowl appearances, three Associated Press first-team All-Pro nominations, and two NFL rushing titles.

He became a prolific scorer under Marty Schottenheimer, who coached the Chargers from 2002 to 2006.

Tomlinson was named to five Pro Bowls (2002, 2004–2007), was a first-team All-Pro three times (2004, 2006, 2007), and won consecutive rushing titles in 2006 and 2007.

At the time of his retirement, he ranked fifth in career rushing yards (13,684), fifth in yards from scrimmage (18,456), second in career rushing touchdowns (145), and third in total touchdowns (162).

Tomlinson also threw seven touchdown passes and ranks second behind Walter Payton (eight) for non-quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era.

TCU retired his No. 5 in 2005, and he was inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame in 2014.

The Chargers selected Tomlinson No. 5 overall after passing on the opportunity to select highly-rated quarterback Michael Vick.

A starter in his rookie season, Tomlinson opened his career with the first of seven consecutive seasons with over 1,200 rushing yards, a streak achieved previously only by Eric Dickerson.

Tomlinson was also voted the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2006 after breaking the record for touchdowns in a single season.

He played two further seasons with the New York Jets, before retiring.

Tomlinson's output reached a peak in 2006, when he set numerous single-season records, including for most touchdowns scored (31).

These feats won him the NFL MVP award, but San Diego suffered an upset defeat in their playoff opener, and Schottenheimer was fired shortly afterwards.

Tomlinson became less central to the Charger offense in the following three seasons, and missed time through injury in key games.

He was released following the 2009 season, played two seasons with the Jets, and retired.

Tomlinson had his No. 21 retired by the Chargers in 2015 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, his first year of eligibility.

Tomlinson is often known by his initials, L.T..

He works as an analyst on the NFL Network, and also serves as a special assistant to the Chargers' principal owner, Dean Spanos.

He was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

A native of Rosebud, Texas, Tomlinson showed athletic promise while attending University High School.

He was recruited by Texas Christian University (TCU).

As a junior, Tomlinson rushed for 406 yards in a single game, a Division I record at the time.

As a senior, he earned unanimous All-American honors, and won the Doak Walker Award as the best college running back.