142 Facts About LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson was born on June 23,1979 and is an American former professional football player who was a running back in the National Football League for 11 seasons.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

LaDainian 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.

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

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

LaDainian Tomlinson grew up with a brother and a sister and later, a half-sister and three half-brothers.

At age nine, LaDainian Tomlinson joined the Pop Warner Little Scholars football program and scored a touchdown the first time he touched the ball.

LaDainian Tomlinson attended University High School in Waco, Texas, where he ran track and played basketball, baseball and football.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named to the state all-star football team in 1997, which included future San Diego teammates Drew Brees and Quentin Jammer.

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

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

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

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

LaDainian Tomlinson played for the TCU Horned Frogs from 1997 to 2000.

The latter of these seasons finished with TCU's first bowl win in 42 years against the USC Trojans in the Sun Bowl, though LaDainian Tomlinson only rushed for 34 yards in the game.

LaDainian Tomlinson's 20 rushing touchdowns were tied for the NCAA lead with Ron Dayne.

LaDainian Tomlinson finished second in the NCAA in rushing to Dayne with 1,974 rushing yards.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named the WAC Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-WAC for the 1999 season.

LaDainian Tomlinson went over 100 rushing yards and scored at least one touchdown in every game.

LaDainian Tomlinson won the Doak Walker Award and the Jim Brown Trophy as the nation's best running back, and was a finalist for the 2000 Heisman Trophy, but came in fourth in the voting.

LaDainian Tomlinson repeated as WAC Offensive Player of the Year and as an All-WAC first-team selection.

LaDainian Tomlinson completed his career at TCU with 5,263 rushing yards, ranking sixth in NCAA Division I history at the time.

LaDainian Tomlinson had one more game before becoming a professional, taking part in the 2001 Senior Bowl on January 21.

LaDainian Tomlinson was their single-game, single-season, and career record holder in both rushing touchdowns and rushing yards, amongst other records.

LaDainian Tomlinson was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame on December 9,2014.

Chargers head coach Mike Riley stated that LaDainian Tomlinson was the player the team had wanted after they'd made the trade.

LaDainian Tomlinson himself expressed relief at being passed on by the Browns.

LaDainian Tomlinson was a holdout through much of training camp, while his agent Tom Condon negotiated with the Chargers.

LaDainian Tomlinson had missed the first two preseason games, and was kept on the bench for the third, before featuring briefly in the final game, rushing five times for 14 yards in a defeat to the Arizona Cardinals.

LaDainian Tomlinson followed this by rushing for 90,107, and 102 yards in the following three games.

LaDainian Tomlinson added four more touchdowns; in a Week 3 win against the Cincinnati Bengals, he posted the first three-touchdown game by a Charger running back since Natrone Means in 1994.

Four games into his career, LaDainian Tomlinson was the league leader in both rushing yards with 412 and rushing touchdowns with six, and had already surpassed the 384 yards with which third-down back Terrell Fletcher led the team the previous season.

LaDainian Tomlinson's pace slowed during the remaining twelve weeks of the season, with only four more touchdowns and one more 100-yard rushing game, which came in Week 15 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Nonetheless, his total of 1,236 was the second-most in franchise history, behind only Means in 1994; with a further 367 receiving yards, LaDainian Tomlinson had 1,603 yards from scrimmage, breaking the franchise record that Lance Alworth had set in 1965.

League-wide, LaDainian Tomlinson finished ninth for rushing yards and tied-fourth for rushing touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson led the league in touches with 398, and ranked ninth for yards from scrimmage.

LaDainian Tomlinson received 16 votes for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award, finishing second to Anthony Thomas.

Thomas and LaDainian Tomlinson were the two running backs named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team.

LaDainian Tomlinson tied or broke numerous franchise records during the season.

In Week 13, LaDainian Tomlinson had 37 carries for 220 yards and three touchdowns, as well as 11 catches for 51 yards, helping San Diego beat the Denver Broncos in overtime.

LaDainian Tomlinson's rushing yardage broke the record he had tied in Week 4, while his 271 yards from scrimmage broke Wes Chandler's Charger record for a regular season game.

LaDainian Tomlinson nonetheless passed Means' franchise record for rushing yardage in a season with three games still to play, and finished with 1,683 yards, second-most in the league.

LaDainian Tomlinson again led the league in touches with 451, which proved to be a career-high; it was the third-most in NFL history at the time.

LaDainian Tomlinson became the first Charger to gain 2,000-plus yards from scrimmage, with his total of 2,172 ranking third in the league.

LaDainian Tomlinson improved his ball security, fumbling only three times.

LaDainian Tomlinson was rewarded for his performances with his first Pro Bowl nomination, as well as being named an Associated Press 2nd-team All-Pro.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Browns.

LaDainian Tomlinson entered the regular season finale against the Raiders needing eight more catches to become the first NFL player to have 1,000 rushing yards and 100 receptions in the same season.

LaDainian Tomlinson achieved this, getting his 100th catch on the Chargers' final offensive play of the game.

LaDainian Tomlinson finished with 1,645 rushing yards, third-most in the league.

LaDainian Tomlinson averaged 5.3 yards per carry, the sixth-highest among backs with 100-plus carries; this would be the best average of his career.

LaDainian Tomlinson's receiving numbers were career highs: 100 receptions, 725 receiving yards, and four receiving touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson broke Tony Martin's franchise record of 90 receptions in 1995.

LaDainian Tomlinson had 2,370 yards from scrimmage, leading the league; it was the second-highest total in NFL history up to that point.

LaDainian Tomlinson had five games with at least 200 yards from scrimmage during the season, another league record.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored 17 total touchdowns, tied for third in the league and another new career high.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored consistently throughout the season, with either one or two touchdowns in fourteen games, including a twelve-game streak from Weeks 4 to 16.

LaDainian Tomlinson earned his second Pro Bowl nomination, and rewarded his offensive line with an expenses-paid trip to Hawaii, the site of the game.

LaDainian Tomlinson was voted Associated Press First-team All-Pro for the first time in his career.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 26 times for 80 yards, and caught nine passes for 53 yards, scoring no touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson began the 2005 season on a regular season twelve-game streak of scoring at least one rushing touchdown, one short of the NFL record held by John Riggins and George Rogers.

LaDainian Tomlinson tied and later broke the record in the first two weeks of the season, though the Chargers lost both games.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Giants.

LaDainian Tomlinson earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against Oakland.

LaDainian Tomlinson was the first Charger since Chuck Muncie in 1981 to score four in a game.

LaDainian Tomlinson was carrying an injury for much of this period, after picking up a rib injury in Week 13 against the Raiders.

LaDainian Tomlinson's ribs were initially described as bruised, but later revealed to have been cracked.

LaDainian Tomlinson's rushing totals were 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns, ranking sixth and third in the league respectively.

LaDainian Tomlinson ranked third in the league, behind Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, who set a new NFL record with 28.

LaDainian Tomlinson again made the Pro Bowl, and was named an Associated Press second-team All-Pro.

LaDainian Tomlinson earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Browns.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for four of the Chargers' seven touchdowns, including a pair 15 seconds apart that put them ahead for the first time.

LaDainian Tomlinson scored four touchdowns, with three on the ground and one via a 51-yard catch-and-run.

LaDainian Tomlinson earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his game against the Broncos.

The next play was designed as an inside run, but LaDainian Tomlinson broke to the left after his lead blocker Neal slipped over.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his effort against the Broncos.

LaDainian Tomlinson led the league with 1,815 rushing yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring a record 28 rushing touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson added 56 catches for 508 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns, with his average of 9.1 yards per catch the highest of his career up to that point.

LaDainian Tomlinson ranked second in the NFL with 2,323 yards from scrimmage; he had 404 touches in total, fumbling only twice.

On January 5,2007, LaDainian Tomlinson was named the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player for his record-breaking season, receiving 44 of the 50 votes from a panel of nationwide sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL.

LaDainian Tomlinson was named co-winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award alongside Brees, now quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, and was voted to his fourth Pro Bowl.

On July 11,2007, LaDainian Tomlinson won four ESPY Awards including Male Athlete of the Year.

LaDainian Tomlinson struggled for much of the opening game, finishing with 17 carries for only 25 yards.

That would be one of only two 100-yard rushing performances in the first eleven games for LaDainian Tomlinson, who ranked only sixth in the league for rushing yardage with five games to go.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 26 times for 146 rushing yards in that game, and added two further 100-yard performances for a streak of four in a row.

LaDainian Tomlinson was involved in a pair of sideline incidents with Rivers over the course of the season.

Later, during the overtime win in Tennessee, LaDainian Tomlinson got up and walked away immediately after Rivers sat near to him on the bench.

LaDainian Tomlinson had zero fumbles for the first time in his career, despite a league-high 375 touches.

LaDainian Tomlinson was nominated for his fifth and final Pro Bowl and, unanimously, his third and final AP 1st-Team All-Pro squad.

LaDainian Tomlinson was awarded the Bart Starr Award for his work on and off the field.

LaDainian Tomlinson attempted to play through his injury in the following week's AFC Championship, and had two carries for five rushing yards and a one-yard catch but re-injured the knee and sat out the rest of the game.

LaDainian Tomlinson was criticized for sitting on the Chargers' bench with his helmet and a dark visor still over his head, as well as for failing to play through the injury, in contrast to Rivers, who played the whole game.

LaDainian Tomlinson ended the regular season with career-lows in attempts and rushing yards, while his 11 rushing touchdowns and 3.8 yards per carry were both the least since his rookie year.

LaDainian Tomlinson revealed after the game that his injury, previously reported as a strain, was actually a torn tendon; he described it as the toughest injury of his career.

Relations between Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson were strained throughout the process.

Smith was reported to have been angered when LaDainian Tomlinson revealed the full extent of his injury before the Divisional Round game against Pittsburgh the prior season.

LaDainian Tomlinson suffered an ankle injury in the Oakland game and missed the next two weeks while recovering.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 64 yards in the game, enough to lift him past both Marshall Faulk and former Cleveland Brown Jim Brown into eighth place on the career rushing yardage list.

Brown was present in the stadium; LaDainian Tomlinson pointed up to Brown after passing him and tapped his heart to show respect.

At the regular season's end, LaDainian Tomlinson had new career lows in rushing attempts, yards and yards per attempt, as well as receptions and receiving yards.

LaDainian Tomlinson stated that he had accepted his reduced role in the team.

LaDainian Tomlinson had little impact on the game, with 12 carries for 24 yards and three receptions for no yards.

LaDainian Tomlinson was booed by Chargers fans after what would be his final carry for the team, a 1-yard gain in the final quarter.

On January 31, LaDainian Tomlinson was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team after leading the league with 12,490 rushing yards in the 2000s, 1,797 more than runner-up Edgerrin James.

LaDainian Tomlinson's 138 rushing touchdowns during the decade set an NFL record for any decade, and were 38 more than any other player in the 2000s.

LaDainian Tomlinson entered the free-agent market for the first time in his career, expressing excitement at the future and a desire to win a Super Bowl.

LaDainian Tomlinson was expected to back up second-year running back Shonn Greene; the Jets had released five-time 1,000 yard rusher Thomas Jones the previous month when he refused to take a pay cut to serve as Greene's backup.

LaDainian Tomlinson chose to sign with New York because of his familiarity with the system of offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer, his enthusiasm for the defense- and run-focussed philosophy of head coach Rex Ryan and because he felt that the team offered him the best chance to win a championship.

LaDainian Tomlinson added that he believed he and Green would form a successful partnership.

LaDainian Tomlinson stayed injury-free, missing only the regular season finale when he was rested with the Jets assured of a wildcard appearance in the playoffs.

LaDainian Tomlinson did score less frequently than in any of his seasons in San Diego, with only six touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson continued to move up the NFL's career rushing yardage leaderboard during the season, passing Tony Dorsett and Eric Dickerson to reach sixth place.

LaDainian Tomlinson received the Dennis Byrd Award as the Jets' most inspirational player after a vote of his teammates.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 82 and both Jets touchdowns, and New York won on a 23-yard Nick Folk field goal as time expired.

LaDainian Tomlinson, who was 32 years old at the start of the season, said that running routes out of the backfield was something he'd always wanted to do as he got older, and that he embraced the change.

In Week 10 against New England, LaDainian Tomlinson passed Barry Sanders for fifth on the all time yards from scrimmage list, though he picked up a medial collateral ligament injury during that game and missed the next two contests against Denver and Buffalo.

LaDainian Tomlinson made a final move up the career rushing yards leaderboard during the game, passing Jerome Bettis for fifth place.

LaDainian Tomlinson finished his final season with 75 carries for 280 rushing yards and a single rushing touchdown, all career lows.

At the time of his retirement, LaDainian Tomlinson ranked fifth in NFL history in career rushing attempts and yards, and second in career rushing touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson had 47 100-yard rushing games, and three 100-yard receiving games.

LaDainian Tomlinson ranked third for receptions by a running back, catching 624 passes for 4,772 yards and a further 17 touchdowns.

LaDainian Tomlinson was only the second player to rush for at least 13,000 yards and catch passes for at least 4,000 yards, following Payton.

LaDainian Tomlinson was noted for consistently playing well against the Oakland Raiders.

LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 22 touchdowns, caught four, and threw another three, in each case more than his total against any other single team.

An elusive runner in the open field who would use stiff arms to break tackles, LaDainian Tomlinson was effective as a power back on inside runs.

LaDainian Tomlinson wore a distinctive dark visor for the majority of his career, to prevent migraines caused by stadiums lights; this benefitted him as it prevented defenders from reading his eyes.

When LaDainian Tomlinson's number was retired in 2015, a trio of analysts on NFL.

LaDainian Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017, his first year of eligibility.

LaDainian Tomlinson was introduced to his future wife, LaTorsha Oakley, while the two were students at TCU.

LaDainian Tomlinson covers Chargers preseason games as an analyst with CBS.

The plantation was owned by Chris' great-great-grandparents, while LaDainian Tomlinson descended from a slave owned by Chris' ancestors.

In 2016, LaDainian Tomlinson was cast in the feature film God Bless the Broken Road.

The charity was cited as a reason for LaDainian Tomlinson receiving the Bart Starr Award in 2008.

In 2017, the Los Angeles Chargers announced that LaDainian Tomlinson was joining the team as a special assistant to ownership.