LaDainian Tomlinson

At 44 years old, LaDainian Tomlinson has this physical status:

LaDainian Tramayne Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football player who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons.

He is widely regarded as one of the best running backs of all time.

He spent the majority of his time with the San Diego Chargers, who selected him with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Tomlinson was invited to five Pro Bowls, was a member of the All-Pro Six, and won consecutive rushing titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as being named 2012 NFL MVP.

He ranked fifth in career rushing yards (19,684), seventh in all-purpose yards (18,456), second in career rushing touchdowns (145), and third in total touchdowns (162).

On NFL Network, he is now an analyst.

Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in August 2017, his first year of eligibility; he is the first Pro Football Hall of Famer in the 21st century. Tomlinson played college football for Texas Christian University (TCU), received consensus All-America recognition, and was named the top college running back by the Doak Walker Award.

He spent nine seasons with the Chargers.

He set many NFL touchdown records and received numerous accolades and honors during the 2006 NFL season, including the NFL's Most Valuable Player Award and the Associated Press' Offensive Player of the Year Award.

He signed with the New York Jets in 2010 as a free agent for two seasons before retiring in 2011. L.T. Tomlinson is often referred to by his initials, L.T.

Tomlinson threw seven touchdown passes and ranks second behind Walter Payton (8) for non-quarterbacks after the 1970 AFL–NFL merger.

He was selected as one of the best running backs of the 2000s by the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team.

Early years

Tomlinson was born in Rosebud, Texas, to Loreane Chappelle and Oliver Tomlinson. His mother worked as a preacher, and his father left the family when Tomlinson was seven years old. Tomlinson didn't see his father very often after his father died. He grew up with a brother and a sister, then a half-sister, and three half-brothers. Tomlinson played for football in high school and scored a touchdown for the first time he touched the ball.

Tomlinson played basketball, baseball, and football at University High School in Waco, Texas, where he played track and football. Tomlinson began his football career as both a linebacker and a fullback, but he was unstoppable on the offensive side of the game; he was selected as a running back on the District 10-4A second team. Tomlinson's senior year, he earned accolades for his work as the District 25-4A Most Valuable Player and the Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year. In 1997, Drew Brees (Austin Westlake) and Quentin Jammer (Angleton), who were among the state all-star football team. Tomlinson competed as a sprinter and was a member of the Waco University 4 100 m (41.82s) relay team, earning him a medal in track & field.

During his youth, Tomlinson was an ardent Dallas Cowboys and Miami Hurricanes fan. Walter Payton was a fan of Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, and Barry Sanders, who adored him. When attending a camp hosted by Dallas Cowboys tight end Jay Novacek, Tomlinson was able to meet Smith.

Personal life

Tomlinson is a Christian. While the two were students at TCU, Tomlinson was introduced to his future wife, LaTorsha Oakley. The couple married on March 21, 2003, having two children: a son born in 2010 and a daughter in 2011. Oliver Tomlinson's father and brother-in-law Ronald McClain died in a car crash in 2007.

Tomlinson appeared in commercials for Nike, Campbell Soup, and Vizio during his playing career. Tomlinson turned down a bid to become the cover star for EA Sports' Madden NFL 08 video game, according to CNBC, because the funds were insufficient to justify the promotional effort involved. Vince Young, the Tennessee Titans' quarterback, was eventually selected for the cover.

Tomlinson appeared on "First on the Field" on Sunday morning as an analyst in August 2012. He is still on the network as of 2022. As an analyst for CBS, he also covers Chargers preseason games.

Tomlinson wrote the foreword to Chris Tomlinson's book Tomlinson Hill, which follows the lives of two families—one white and one black—from a plantation in Tomlinson Hill, Texas. Chris' great-grandparents owned the plantation, while LaDainian descended from a slave owned by Chris' ancestors. Tomlinson appeared in God Bless the Broken Road in 2016. Although it had been planned for a 2016 launch, it was finally announced in September 2018.

The Touching Lives Foundation, Tomlinson's Foundation, is a non-profit organization. The foundation supports high school and college students, provides meals for those who are homeless or poor, and raises funds for after-school programs and other causes. Its Los Angeles, San Diego, and Texas areas that it is focusing on. The charity was cited as a reason for Tomlinson's winning the Bart Starr Award in 2008.

Tomlinson, the Los Angeles Chargers' 2017 acquisition, was announced as a special assistant to ownership. Following the Chargers' move to Los Angeles, the job involves trying to establish a new fan base.

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College career

Tomlinson received an athletic scholarship at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, and later became a member of the Western Athletic Conference. (WAC). He played for the TCU Horned Frogs from 1997 to 2000. TCU had played in just one bowl game in the last 12 seasons, and two in the previous 31 seasons, losing both, prior to Tomlinson's arrival. Since the breakup of the Southwest Conference, they had been downgraded to a minor conference (the WAC).

During Tomlinson's freshman and sophomore years, he split time with Basil Mitchell and other backs, while the Horned Frog set records of 1–10 and 6–5. TCU's first bowl victory in 42 years over the USC Trojans in the Sun Bowl, but Tomlinson only passed for 34 yards in the game (Mitchell had 185 yards and two touchdowns). As the Horned Frogs improved to 7–4, Tomlinson was promoted to the starting running back position during his junior season, throwing 1,850 yards and 18 touchdowns. He set a new NCAA Division I record for most rushing yards in a game against UTEP on November 20, a 43-carry, 406-yard, 6-touchdown effort. With a 28-14 victory over East Carolina in the 1999 Mobile Alabama Bowl, Tomlinson captured the Division I rushing championship with a total of 1,850 yards and two touchdowns. For the 1999 season, he was named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and first-team All-WAC. TCU also improved their record in his sophomore season, going 10-1 and qualifying for their second straight Mobile Alabama Bowl. Tomlinson played another big game against UTEP this season, this time rushing 33 times for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns. In his last game with TCU, a 28–21 loss in the Mobile Alabama Bowl, he led the NCAA for the second time with 2,158 yards and 22 touchdowns. He was selected as a unanimous first-team All-American. He earned the Doak Walker Award and the Jim Brown Trophy as the country's best running back, as well as a finalist in the 2000 Heisman Trophy, but finished fourth in the voting. Tomlinson has also been named WAC Offensive Player of the Year and as a first-team pick in the All-WAC.

Tomlinson finished his TCU career with 5,263 passing yards, ranked sixth in NCAA Division I history at the time. He played in the 2001 Senior Bowl for the first time before becoming a professional. Tomlinson rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown as well as a pass for a further 28 yards, earning the game's MVP award and helping the South beat the North 21-16.

TCU has retired his jersey (No. 6) 5) during halftime of a November 2005 match against UNLV. Among other things, he was a single-game, single-season, and career record holder in both rushing touchdowns and passing yards. Tomlinson kept a promise to his mother by receiving his degree in TCU communications in December. On December 9, 2014, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

Professional career

The San Diego Chargers had the first pick in the 2001 NFL Draft after a 1–15 record in 2000. Ryan Leaf, the 1998 first-round pick, was deemed a draft bust after three unsuccessful seasons; Charger quarterback Drew Brees had a career-high 30 interceptions in 2000. However, running back was also a point of concern, with their team total of 1,062 yards the fewest ever recorded in a 16-game season. They were supposed to use the No. 2s. One pick on quarterback Michael Vick has been chosen, but preliminary contract talks with the player broke down, and general manager John Butler has instead accepted a trade bid from the Atlanta Falcons; the Chargers' first-round pick (No. ) was not selected by No. 1. The first-round pick of Atlanta's first-round pick (No. 1) was traded (No. 1). Overall, 5th overall, as well as their third-round pick in 2001, their second-round pick in 2002, and wide receiver/kick returner Tim Dwight.

Even before the transfer to Atlanta, San Diego had shown an interest in Tomlinson. After the Cleveland Browns (picking third and potentially interested in a running back) selected Gerard Warren instead, they selected him fifth overall. San Diego selected Drew Brees in the second round over Vick as their future quarterback. Since making the trade, Chargers head coach Mike Riley said Tomlinson was the player the team wanted. Tomlinson expressed surprise at being passed over by the Browns. "We were 1–10 at TCU freshman year and we were 1–10." I know what it takes to recover a program."

During a significant portion of training camp, Tomlinson was a holdout, while his agent Tom Condon negotiated with the Chargers. On August 21, the actor signed a six-year, $38 million deal. He had missed the first two preseason games and was held on the bench for the third before appearing briefly in the final game, rushing five times for 14 yards in a loss to the Arizona Cardinals.

In a 30–3 victory over the Washington Redskins on September 9, Tomlinson made his regular season debut. In the 30–3 victory, he was given a hefty workload, running 36 times for 113 yards and two touchdowns. The 36 runs were tied for the third most in franchise history up to that point, although the 113 yards marked a new record for a Charger in his first career game. In the three games, Tomlinson finished with rushing for 90, 107, and 102 yards. He also scored four more touchdowns in Week 3 over the Cincinnati Bengals, posting the first three-touchdown game by a Charger running back since Natrone Means in 1994. With 412 and rushing touchdowns, Tomlinson led the league in both rushing yards with six touchdowns, and he had already surpassed the 384 yards, which third-down back Terrell Fletcher led the team last season.

Tomlinson's momentum slowed during the remaining 12 weeks of the season, with just four more touchdowns and one more 100-yard game against the Kansas City Chiefs on Week 15. Nevertheless, his total of 1,236 was the second-most in franchise history, behind only Means in 1994; Tomlinson had 1,603 yards from scrimmage, breaking Lance Alworth's franchise record set in 1965. San Diego ended the season with a nine-game losing streak and a 5–11 record. "It means a lot to me and the people who helped me get it," Tomlinson said of Alworth's record. But I wish I had won it in a winning season because it means more."

Tomlinson tied for ninth in rushing yards and tied for fourth for rushing touchdowns, despite being league-wide. However, his 3.6 yards per carry were only 31st among players with at least 100 yards and his eight fumbles, one of which was returned for a vital touchdown in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, were the most among non-quarterbacks. With 398, Tomlinson led the league in touches (rushing attempts and receptions combined) and was ranked ninth for yards from scrimmage. He received 16 votes for the Associated Press Offensive Rookie of the Year award, finishing second to Anthony Thomas (22 votes). Both running backs named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie team were Thomas and Tomlinson.

The Chargers fired Mike Riley, replacing him with Marty Schottenheimer, who was recently fired as Washington's head coach, a day after their last game of 2001. Schottenheimer carried a reputation for boosting the running game over the pass. "I think he knows how to win," Tomlinson said of his new coach, "I think he knows how to win, and he's been doing it for a long time." ... We need a coach like this one, according to me. Schottenheimer will be named the best coach he ever had at his Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement address in 2017.

Throughout the season, Tomlinson tied or broken multiple franchise records. In Week 14, he had 27 carries for 217 yards and two touchdowns, defeating the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots by a 21-21-14 victory, tying Gary Anderson for the most yards in a single game by a Charger. As San Diego defeated the Oakland Raiders in overtime, he tied a Marion Butts record for 39 carries in a game, rushing for 153 yards and scoring the winning touchdown. He had 44 touches in total, breaking another Means record with five catches in the same game.

Tomlinson had 37 carries for 220 yards and 3 touchdowns, as well as 11 catches for 51 yards, assisting San Diego in overtime over the Denver Broncos. After Denver had taken the lead for 76 yards and setting up his first touchdown, he had his longest run of his career to that point. Tomlinson's rush yardage tied for the first time in Week 4, while his 271 yards from scrimmage tied Wes Chandler's record for a regular season game. He set a franchise record in Week 7 and tied James Wilder's NFL record of 48 touches. Denver had been ranked No. 1 in the league for the first time in the game.

After beating the Broncos, San Diego defeated the Broncos 8–4, but lost their last four in a row to miss the playoffs. With three games remaining in the season, Tomlinson still had a record for rushing yardage in a season with three games remaining, finishing with 1,683 yards, second-most in the league. His yards per carry increased by nearly a full yard to 4.5, while his 14 rushing touchdowns were another franchise record. Tomlinson tied Ronnie Harmon's Charger record for receptions by a running back, as well as his rushing feats. With 451, the league's highest level in the sport's history, but also the third-most in NFL history at the time. Tomlinson was the first Charger to gain 2,000 yards from scrimmage, putting his total number of 2,172, which was third in the league. He also improved his ball control, although fumbling just three times.

Tomlinson was rewarded for his contributions to his first Pro Bowl nomination (associate with Junior Seau), as well as being named an Associated Press (AP) 2nd-team All-Pro.

Lorenzo Neal, a fullback who had blocked for 1,000 yards in each of his previous six seasons, was signing his first Pro Bowl nomination during the 2003 offseason. Tomlinson would later describe Neal as an important part of his career, and he chose the fullback to welcome him on the day of his induction into the Hall of Fame.

The Chargers struggled through the 2003 season, finishing 4–12. Nevertheless, Tomlinson continued to put on good individual results. He threw the first touchdown of his career to Brees on a trick play in Week 4, as well as running for 187 yards and a touchdown in a loss to Oakland. While leading the Chargers to their first victory of the season, Tomlinson led the Chargers to their first victory of the season in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns. In Weeks 14 and 15, the top two receivers of his career (measured by yards) returned to action; he had 9 catches for 148 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Detroit Lions, and 11 catches for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers. Tomlinson reached his first NFL player to have 1,000 rushing yards and 100 receptions in the same season, but only after needing 8 more catches. He did this on the Chargers' final offensive play of the game (except quarterback kneels). With 243 yards from 31 attempts and two touchdowns, he tied for his franchise record in the same game. This will be Tomlinson's longest career at this point.

Tomlinson had 1,645 passing yards, the third most in the league, behind the third most. He had averaged 5.3 yards per carry, sixth-highest among backs with 100-plus carries, and that would be his highest average of his career; this would be his best average of his career. His receiving numbers will all be career highs: 100 catches, 725 yards, and 4 touchdowns. He came in 4th in the league with his 100 catches; the remainder of the top ten were all wide receivers. In 1995, Tony Martin tied for the most receptions in a franchise. Tomlinson led the league with 2,370 yards from scrimmage; it was the second-most offensive total in NFL history up to that point. He had five games with 200-plus yards from scrimmage, another league record. Tomlinson had 17 touchdowns, tied for third place in the league, and another new career high.

Tomlinson was not elected to the Pro Bowl in 2003, which was seen as a snub by several analysts; Tomlinson himself expressed dissatisfaction by saying, "I believe all those guys are deserving to be there, but are they better than me?" Nope. However, he was named as a 2nd-team All-Pro for the second year in a row, and he came second runner-up for the AP Offensive Player of the Year Award with eight votes.

Tomlinson renewed an eight-year deal worth $60 million dollars on August 14, with $21 million guaranteed. It was the richest deal for a running back to that point.

In 2004, Tomlinson's first playoff appearance came in 2004. He had been active throughout the season, with either 1 or 2 touchdowns in fourteen games, including a 12-game streak from Weeks 4 to 16. During a 23–17 victory over the Raiders, he had a big show against the Raiders, rushing 37 times for 164 yards and a touchdown. San Diego won by 21–0 in the snow of Cleveland in Week 15, the first playoff appearance since 1995, snapping an eight-year drought. "I've only been here four years, but in some ways it feels like eight." Tomlinson, who rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns in the game, said, "I've only been here four years, but in some ways it sounds like eight." It's amazing to go from where we were to this. For a long time, I've been dreaming of the playoffs, but it has only been a fantasy."

Tomlinson's individual yardage numbers were down from the previous season, with 1,335 passing (7th in the league) and 441 receiving, in large part because he was restrained in the regular season finale, but his yards per carry dropped sharply to 3.9, with barely half as many receptions as 53. For the first time, he led the NFL in rushing touchdowns for the first time. His 1,776 scrimmage yards were tied for fifth in the league, while his 18 total touchdowns ranked second. Tomlinson received his second Pro Bowl nomination and was rewarded for his offensive line with an expense-paid trip to Hawaii, the game's site. For the first time in his career, he was also named AP 1st-team All-Pro.

In the first round of the playoffs, San Diego defeated the New York Jets, losing 20–17 in overtime. Tomlinson went 26 times for 80 yards and caught 9 passes for 53 yards, receiving no touchdowns. During a dramatic overtime stretch, San Diego's first downer at the New York 22 was a first downer; Tomlinson went three times for no gain before rookie kicker Nate Kaeding came in for a game-winning field goal attempt. Kaeding missed wide right on the score sheet, while New York pushed for the winning points. Schottenheimer was banned after the game for playing too conservatively with the three Tomlinson runs.

Tomlinson began the 2005 season on a 12-game streak, one shy of John Riggins' NFL record of at least one touchdown. In the first two weeks of the season, he tied and then broke the record, though the Chargers lost both games. San Diego defeated the Giants 43–23 on Week 3, Tomlinson rushed 21 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns, throwing a 26-yard touchdown to Keenan McCardell. Tomlinson went on to tie Lenny Moore's NFL record of 18 straight season games with a touchdown of any kind in Week 6. Tomlinson beat Oakland 27–14, tied the record, and became the 10th player in NFL history to run, catch, and throw for a touchdown in the same game.

Tomlinson's touchdown streak came to an end the following week, when he was shut down in a 20-17 loss at Philadelphia, gaining only 7 yards from 17 attempts. It will be the only game in Tomlinson's career in which he had at least ten carries and averaged less than a yard per attempt. "They brought the blitz," he said of the Eagles' defense after the game. They were pushed into the backfield. They really owned the line of scrimmage." Tomlinson threw his third touchdown pass of the season last week, then won by 31–26 over the Jets, with three rushing touchdowns and one receiving. He was the first Charger since Chuck Muncie in 1981 to score four points in a game. In Week 12, Tomlinson rushed for 184 yards and three touchdowns, including a 41-yard game-winner in overtime as San Diego defeated Washington 23-17. Schottenheimer christened him as the best running back he's ever seen after the game. However, Tomlinson had no 100-yard rush games or only one touchdown in the remaining five games of the season, three of which were decided by the Chargers as they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs. Since suffering a rib injury against the Raiders in Week 13, he was suffering from an injury for the remainder of the season. His ribs were initially described as bruised, but they were later discovered to have been cracked.

Tomlinson's passing totals were 1,462 yards and 18 touchdowns, ranking 6th and 3rd in the league respectively. Chuck Muncie had 20 in total, beating his franchise record of 1981, which was broken. He came in third place in the league, behind Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander, who set a new NFL record with 28. Tomlinson made the Pro Bowl once more and was named as an AP 2nd-team All-Pro.

In 2006, San Diego's starting quarterbacks changed starting quarterbacks. In the 2005 season, Brees had his shoulder; after talks for a new deal with Chargers general manager A. J. Smith broke down, Brees was allowed to leave in a free agency, paving the way for the 2004 No. 1. Philip Rivers, the 6th overall draft pick, will take over. In the run-up to the season, Tomlinson spoke positively about Rivers, saying, "He's going to be a great quarterback because the intangibles he has are what the great ones have." However, Tomlinson would suggest in a 2016 interview with ESPN that the switch cost San Diego a Super Bowl victory, claiming that the Rivers were still inexperienced at the time.

The Chargers opened their regular season by defeating Oakland, Tomlinson 31 times for 131 yards and a touchdown. Lance Alworth scored twice in the following week to tie Lance Alworth's franchise record of 83 touchdowns. In Week 4 (a loss at Baltimore) and Week 5 (a victory over Pittsburgh, in which he gained a season-low 36 rushing yards) after a bye week, Tomlinson was kept out the end zone. Even though Tomlinson only ran for 71 yards the following week, he had four rushing touchdowns, tied for the Charger single-game record of Clarence Williams and Chuck Muncie while moving ahead of Alworth in terms of career total touchdowns. San Diego erased a 14-point, fourth-quarter deficit in Kansas City before losing to a late field goal. He caught one touchdown and threw for another.

Tomlinson rushed for at least two touchdowns and at least 100 yards in the next eight games in a row, all Charger wins. He began the game against the St. Louis Rams by rushing for 183 yards and two touchdowns, adding a further 57 receiving yards and a third touchdown, and recovering a late onside kick attempt by the Rams. Tomlinson's first 9 yards gained a mere 47 yards in the following game, but his following 9 yards gave him 172 yards and 3 touchdowns, bringing him 172 yards in total at a season-high 9.56 yards per carry. He revived an opposition late onside kick attempt. San Diego trailed the Bengals 21–0 after a single quarter in Week 10, but came back to win 49–41. Tomlinson led to four of the Chargers' seven touchdowns, with a pair 15 seconds apart that put them ahead for the first time. They met Denver in Week 11 in a division-topping match of 7–2 teams. The team overcame a large deficit by remaining 24-7 in the 3rd quarter before winning 35-27; Tomlinson added four touchdowns, three on the ground and one by a 51-yard catch-and-run; Rivers referred to him as "the best in the business" and "the ultimate weapon" after the game. Tomlinson's second score against Denver made him the first player to score 100 touchdowns, setting a new record of 93 games played by Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith. In a 21-14 victory over Oakland, he was responsible for all the Chargers' points, while another was to Antonio Gates. He had 26 combined rushing and touchdown touchdowns in Buffalo this season, only two behind the record set by Alexander in 2005.

San Diego had a chance to clinch the AFC West by defeating Denver in Week 14. Tomlinson only scored once as they advanced to a 28-3 lead. In the 3rd quarter, Denver had a streak of 17 points unanswered, but Tomlinson's career-tying 28th touchdown kept the game alive at 41–20 in the final minutes. On the Denver 7, Shawne Merriman's fumbled recovery gave San Diego the ball right away. The next play was supposed to be an inside track, but Tomlinson's lead blocker Neal slipped over, causing Tomlinson to break to the left. He scored the record-breaking touchdown in the corner of the end zone before being booed by his teammates and lifted shoulder-high. Tomlinson played the game with the Chargers as his most memorable since his release from the league.

Tomlinson went back to three more records in the following week, while the Chiefs rush 25 times for a season-high 199 yards and two touchdowns. His first touchdown put him over Paul Hornung's record of 176 points in a season (Tomlinson finished with 186). His second touchdown was the longest of his career; he had 28th rushing touchdowns of the season, passing Alexander and Priest Holmes while still giving him multiple touchdowns in eight straight games, breaking a tie with Riggins. Tomlinson's streak of rushing touchdowns came to an end the following week, as he was kept out of the end zone at Seattle, although he did manage to reach a franchise-record nine. After rushing for 66 yards and no touchdowns in the 3rd quarter of the regular season, Tomlinson sustained a minor injury in the 3rd quarter, but it was still enough to give him the NFL rushing title, the first Charger to do so.

With 1,815 passing yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry, and scoring a record 28 touchdowns, Tomlinson led the league in touchdowns. He had 508 yards and 3 touchdowns, with his average of 9.1 yards per catch his highest mark in his career to that point. Tomlinson finished second in the NFL with 2,323 yards from scrimmage; he had 404 touches in total, but only twice. San Diego finished with a 14-2-2 record, the highest winning percentage in the area, while still leading the league with 492 points and winning the No. 1 award. In the AFC playoffs, there is a seed. Tomlinson was instrumental in 33 of their league-leading 59 touchdowns, including his two passing touchdowns.

Tomlinson was named the Associated Press Most Valuable Player for his record-breaking season on January 5, 2007, receiving 44 of the 50 votes from a panel of national sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the NFL. Tomlinson said he had a great year on a winning squad, and "I would feel so much better about winning if we win the Super Bowl." He was the first Chargers to win the award. Pro Football Writers of America, the Sporting News, and the Maxwell Football Club were among the other groups to award Tomlinson the NFL MVP. He was also named as the Offensive Player of the Year and a unanimous 1st-Team All-Pro by the Associated Press. Tomlinson was also named co-winner of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award with Brees, now quarterback of the New Orleans Saints, and was awarded his fourth Pro Bowl for his fourth season. Tomlinson received four ESPY Awards, including Male Athlete of the Year, on July 11, 2007.

Tomlinson's second playoff game against New England came at home. It was another narrow defeat, this time by a 24-21 scoreline, with Kaeding missing a potential game-tying 54-yard field goal in the final seconds. Tomlinson's good form continued as he carried 23 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns on two consecutive passes for 64 yards; he finished with over half of the Chargers' 352 yards from scrimmage. In a post-match interview, the normally mild-mannered Tomlinson yelled at New England players celebrating on the Chargers midfield logo at Qualcomm Stadium by mocking Merriman's dismissal dance, and Patriots head coach Bill Belichick might have been to blame. "They gave no class at all," Tomlinson said. Both Tomlinson and Belichick said they'd put the tragedy behind them while they were together in Hawaii the following month for the Pro Bowl.

After Schottenheimer's quick departure from the 2006 playoffs, Tomlinson and the others defended the coach, but team president Dean Spanos fired him on February 12, 2007. Schottenheimer and general manager A.J. have a tumultuous partnership. Spanos gave Smith one of the reasons. Schottenheimer was fired as head coach by Norv Turner, the San Diego Chargers' rookie season's offensive coordinator. "Norv is the right choice for our team." "He'll know exactly what to do with our team," Tomlinson said of the selection.

Tomlinson struggled for a large portion of the game, going down with 17 attempts for just 25 yards. However, he did throw his seventh and final touchdown pass of his career (a 17-yarder to Gates) and scored once more as San Diego defeated the Chicago Bears 14-3. They travelled to New England for a rematch with the Patriots in Week 2. "If you're not cheating, you're not trying," Tomlinson said of the Patriots' first game since being banned for the Spygate incident; "I think the Patriots actually live by the rule, not trying." New England defeated the game 38–14, with Tomlinson rushing 18 times for 43 yards. He had a big game against the Oakland Raiders this week, rushing 24 times for 198 yards and four touchdowns. It would be one of only two 100-yard rush games in Tomlinson's first eleven games, who finished sixth in the league for rushing yardage with five games remaining.

Tomlinson led Kansas City to 177 yards and scored twice in Week 12 while surpassing Walter Payton on the all-time rushing touchdown list with his 111th. During a press conference the day later, Tomlinson honored Payton by wearing his jersey. San Diego trailed 17–3 at the Tennessee Titans with eight minutes to play before Tomlinson scored on a 7-yard touchdown catch the next week. With nine seconds remaining on the score, the game went into an extra period. Tomlinson then won the game with a 16-yard touchdown pass. It was his third overtime touchdown of his career, a record. In the game, he passed for 146 yards and two more 100-yard efforts for a string of four consecutive games. Though Tomlinson's late flurry gave him his second straight victories and a championship appearance in AFC West with an 11–5 record; he only gained 56 yards in the regular season finale.

Throughout the season, Tomlinson was involved in two incidents with Rivers on the sideline. The two appeared to disagree on the sideline in a game early in the season; Tomlinson dismissed the exchange as "comprehensive talk." After Rivers sat next to them on the bench, Tomlinson got up and walked away right away during the overtime victory in Tennessee. Both players played down the event, with Tomlinson explaining that he had left because he had just ended a chat with Neal.

Although Tomlinson's rushing numbers fell short of his 2006 debuts, he continued to lead the league in both directions in 1999 and 2000, and became the first player since Edgerrin James in 1999 and 2000 to win back-to-back rushing titles. Tomlinson became the 23rd player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history, as well as the fourth fastest, in the NFL, during his career, although his streak of seven seasons with at least 1,200 rushing yards previously was unbeaten by Eric Dickerson. Tomlinson finished second in the NFL for both yards from scrimmage (1,949) and total touchdowns (18), with 60 receptions for a further 475 yards and three touchdowns. Despite a team-high 375 points, he had zero fumbles for the first time in his career, his first appearance in the league. Tomlinson was nominated for his fifth and final Pro Bowl, as well as his third and final AP All-Pro squad. He was also deemed ineligible for his service on and off the track.

In the Chargers' 17–6 wild-card playoff victory over the Titans, Tomlinson had 21 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown, as well as 3 passes for 19 yards. In the fourth quarter, he scored his touchdown on fourth and goal with San Diego leading 10-6, so he soared over the pile and crossed the goal line. It was the Chargers' first playoff victory since the 1994 AFC Championships, as well as the first of Tomlinson's career. "It didn't come easy," he said of the result, "but I tell you, I'm just happy to get the first one." Tomlinson went 7 times for 28 yards and caught a 20-yard pass before injuring his knee and ending the game in the 2nd quarter of the Chargers 28–24 divisional playoff victory at the Indianapolis Colts. The strain was revealed to be a medial collateral ligament (MCL) strain. The Rivers also sustained a knee injury and missed the Colts game's final quarter.

Tomlinson tried to recover from his injury in the AFC Championship Game next week, but he had 2 carries for 5 yards and a 1-yard catch, but the knee was recalled and the game was postponed. The Chargers lost by 212-19 to the New England Patriots. Tomlinson was fined for being on the Chargers' bench with his helmet and a black visor still over his head, as well as for failing to play through the injury, relative to Rivers, who had to play through the entire game. "Now what is the issue?" Hall of Fame ex-NFL cornerback Deion Sanders, then with NFL Network, said, "Now what is the problem?" You're a big-time player, and big-time players must play big-time games." "He's never been a running back and had a swollen MCL," Tomlinson said. The Chargers announced in the press box that Tomlinson would return to the game, adding to the belief that his injury was not serious. "I know some of it goes back on us in terms of how it was announced during the game," Turner said of Tomlinson. If the injury occurred in Week 2, he would have missed six weeks."

The Chargers suspended Neal, who had missed time in 2007 due to a fractured fibula, during the offseason, leaving rookie Mike Tolbert and Jacob Hester to be Tomlinson's lead blockers. Tomlinson himself recovered after offseason recovery, but the Carolina Panthers' opening day loss to Jamlinson jammed his big toe. The new injury remained throughout the year. In Week 4, Tomlinson had 13 passes for 31 yards in the first three quarters, and the Chargers trailed Oakland 15–3. In the final period, he had 7 carries for 75 yards and two touchdowns, leading San Diego to a 28–18 victory. It was one of Tomlinson's only two 100-rushing appearances all season. During a 4–8 start, the Chargers also struggled as a team, but they won three games in a row to advance to a winner-takes-all Week 17 game against Denver for the AFC West championship. Tomlinson rushed 14 times for 96 yards and played in what would be his last 3-touchdown game of his career, winning 52–21. However, when scoring the last touchdown and entering the playoffs with a groin injury, he suffered a groin injury and returned to the playoffs.

Tomlinson finished the regular season with career-lows in attempts (292) and rushing yards (1,110), ranked tenth in the league), while his 11 rushing touchdowns (seventh in the league) and 3.8 yards per carry were the lowest since his rookie year. His 344 touches, 1,536 total yards, and 12 total touchdowns indicated a drastic downturn from the previous season. The Charger offense became more focusing on Rivers, who led the league in touchdowns and passer ratings after throwing for over 4,000 yards.

Tomlinson rushed 5 times for 25 yards and a touchdown before being forced to leave the game due to his groin injury. San Diego defeated 23-20 after his replacement, Darren Sproles, ran for over 100 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime. Tomlinson revealed after the game that his injury, which had been previously reported as a strain, was really a torn tendon; he described it as the hardest injury of his career. Tomlinson was unable to participate in the Chargers' divisional playoff game in Pittsburgh this week, and the Sproles rushed 11 times for just 15 yards in a 35–24 loss.

Tomlinson's offseason began with labor talks, as Smith and Spanos hoped to restructure his current deal and free up more salary cap space. Throughout the process, Smith and Tomlinson's friendships were strained. Smith was reported to have been furious when Tomlinson revealed the full extent of his injury before the Pittsburgh game. Smith mocked Tomlinson as he responded to an interview question by using very similar terms. Smith later apologized to Tomlinson, and the two sides came to an agreement on a restructured version of his three-year deal on March 10. "My heart has always been in San Diego," Tomlinson said in another tweet. I couldn't imagine wearing another uniform."

Tomlinson ran for 55 yards in Oakland in Week 1, with a touchdown and a lost fumble. This will be the first time he's over 4 yards per carry in a game all season. He suffered an ankle injury in the Oakland game and missed the next two weeks while recovering. In a loss at Pittsburgh, he ran 7 times for 15 yards in his first game back. In Week 10, he ran 24 times for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns, his most effective rushing effort came against Philadelphia. For his career, he earned 146 points, surpassing Marcus Allen for third place in NFL history. Tomlinson scored his 150th career touchdown in a 30–23 victory over Cleveland in Week 13, the quickest to do so in his 137th game. In the game, he rushed for 64 yards, enough to propel him over both Marshall Faulk and former Cleveland Brown Jim Brown to eighth place on the career rushing yardage list. Brown was in the stadium and Tomlinson came up to Brown after passing him and asked him to show love. Brown after the game, he went to the Charger locker room to express his admiration.

Tomlinson had new career lows in rushing attempts (223), yards (730), and yards per attempt (3.3), as well as receptions (20) and receiving yards (154). He finished 29th in the league for rushing yards, two years after his second title, but his 12 rushing touchdowns were joint-fifth in the league. He had nine straight 10-touchdown seasons, a record. During the season, San Diego's offensive line was harmed by injuries, and the team as a whole averaged a league-worst 3.3 yards per pass attempt; by contrast, their 8.0 yards per pass play led the league. Despite Tomlinson's limited contributions, San Diego finished the season with 11 straight victories, a 13–3 record, and their fifth AFC West championship in six seasons. Tomlinson said he had accepted his reduced position in the team.

Tomlinson's last playoff game with the Chargers was similar to his first: a three-point loss at home against the New York Jets, this time by a 17–14 margin. Tomlinson made no difference in the game, with 12 carries for 24 yards and 3 catches for 0 yards. Chargers fans booed him after what would be his last carry for the team, a 1-yard increase in the final quarter. "I'm at a loss for words" after losing the game, he said.

Tomlinson was named to the NFL's 2000s All-Decade Team on January 31 after leading the league with 12,490 passing yards in the 2000s, 1,897 more than runner-up Edgerrin James. His 138 rushing touchdowns during the decade set a franchise record for any decade, and 38 more than any other player in the 2000s. However, rumors that Tomlinson would return to the Chargers had arisen, with the player himself stating that he was not supposed to be released.

After nine seasons with the Chargers, Tomlinson was released on February 22, 2010. Many experts attributed his decline to his age (30) and injuries. Tomlinson's farewell news conference said his output dropped following the 2006 season, when Schottenheimer left. In a later interview, Turner said that the team's primary concern was losing; in a later interview, he said, "In San Diego, everything was taken away from me." There wasn't an emphasis on running the ball, my best fullback (Neal) was lost, the linemen were pass blocking, and we had a passing coach. In his debut season with Turner as offensive coordinator and as head coach in 2007, Tomlinson enjoyed success in his rookie season as San Diego's head coach in 2007. The essay also cited Turner's history of coaching 1,000-yard rushers, including Emmitt Smith's three NFL rushing titles. A.J. Smith later stated that he was not doubting his offensive line's ability to block block, not a bunch of individuals; he stated that he did not want to lose a world championship, not a bunch of people; but that he felt insulted by Smith's remarks.

Tomlinson's first appearance in his career as an entertainer and aspire to win a Super Bowl. He visited both teams and signed a two-year, $5.2 million contract with the Jets, one of Tomlinson's most awaited destinations after the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings became Tomlinson's most awaited destinations. Shonn Greene, the Jets' five-time 1,000 yard rusher, was supposed to return as Greene's backup after refusing to take a pay cut to serve as Shonn Greene's backup. Tomlinson decided to sign with New York because of his acquaintance with offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer's philosophy, his enthusiasm for the offensive- and run-focused philosophy of head coach Rex Ryan, and his belief that the team gave him the best chance of winning a championship. He said that he and Green will create a fruitful partnership.

On Tomlinson's debut, the Jets lost 10-9 to the Baltimore Ravens, rushing 11 times for 62 yards, and being the only Jets running back to have a carry after Greene lost a yard in the 2nd quarter. Tomlinson played 19 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns in Week 4, his first 100-yard passing game against the Buffalo Bills in nearly two years. "I never lost confidence" in the performance, he said. I've always knew I could do it. It was just about having a chance." As he ranked fifth in the league with 435 yards at 5.7 yards per carry, Tomlinson's first five games of the season were his most efficient in terms of rushing yards, ranking fifth in the league with 435 yards at 5.7 yards per carry.

Though Tomlinson's output decreased over the course of the season, he nevertheless improved upon his predecessor with the Chargers by rushing for 914 yards at 4.2 percent per carry while catching 52 passes for 368 yards. When Tomlinson was rehabilitated with the Jets and told of a wildcard appearance in the playoffs, he was pain-free, missing only the regular season finale. He played less often in San Diego than in any of his seasons, with just six touchdowns. Tomlinson, the Jet's top rusher, was brought on to assist Greene, outgaining his backfield partner by 148 yards from 34 more attempts. The Jets were ranked 4th in the NFL for rushing yards (though they hadn't been 1st in 2009) and 11th for total yardage (up from 20th in 2009). He continued to climb the NFL's career rushing yardage leaderboard during the season, passing Tony Dorsett and Eric Dickerson to 6th place, and Marcus Allen to 6th on the career yards from scrimmage list. Following a vote of his teammates, Dennis Byrd Award as the Jets' most inspirational player was named.

With a 17–16 win over Indianapolis in the AFC wild card round, the Jets began their postseason season. Tomlinson rushed 16 times for 82 and two Jets touchdowns, and New York won on a 23-yard Nick Folk field goal as time expired. It was his most rushing yards since Week 5. The Jets travelled to New England for a divisional playoff match. They were strong underdogs after losing 45–3 to the Patriots just six weeks before. Tomlinson described the game as an opportunity to resurrect himself after being forced to leave the AFC Championship Game against the same team three seasons ago. In a 28-21 victory, he rushed ten times for 43 yards and caught a 7-yard touchdown from Mark Sanchez. The Jets were down 24–10 in the fourth quarter when Tomlinson was unable to score a touchdown from the one-yard line in the AFC Championship Game against the Steelers. Tomlinson led the Jets to lose 24-19, while Tomlinson had 9 carries for 16 yards.

Mike Tannenbaum, the Jets' general manager, said after the 2010 season that he hoped Tomlinson to return for 2011, but "things could change." Tomlinson was a third-down back with more emphasis on being a receiver for 2011 with Greene named as the starting running back for 2011. He only passed for 16 yards in the season's opener against the Dallas Cowboys but caught 6 passes for 73 yards. Running routes out of the backfield, Tomlinson, who was 32 years old at the start of the season, said that when he got older, he'd always wanted to do, and that he accepted the change. In nine of the fourteen games he played, the first game set the tone for the season, with more yards gained by receiving than rushing. Tomlinson had his third 100-yard receiving game of his career in Week 3, catching 5 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown in Oakland to continue his winning streak against the Raiders, which he had started as a Charger. For the only time in a 27-21 victory for the Jets in New York in Week 7, he met his old team for the first time in Week 7. He recovered 51 yards from scrimmage after being suspended by the Chargers after the Chargers had released him, "I'd be lying if I said this didn't give me any more joy."

Tomlinson passed Barry Sanders (18,190 yards) for 5th on the all time yards from scrimmage list, but he sustained a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury during the game and missed the next two weeks. Tomlinson scored his 162nd and final touchdown of his career in his second game back from injury, with a 19-yard catch from Sanchez. The Jets won their regular season finale in Miami on Saturday, defeating Kansas City on the day to raise their record to 8–5. Tomlinson had his most offensive attempts (11) and yards (56) of the season, totaling 4 catches for 23 yards. However, New York lost 19–17, effectively ending their season. During the game, Tomlinson made his final climb to the career rushing yards leaderboard by defeating Jerome Bettis (13,662) for 5th place.

Tomlinson's final season saw him pass for 280 yards and a single touchdown, all career lows. Greene, the Jets' main running back, had over 1,000 yards, but the Jets' rushing attack came in second, only 22nd in the league, while their offense as a whole were 25th. Tomlinson's new pass-catching role resulted in 42 catches for 449 yards and 2 touchdowns; his career high was 10.7 yards per reception. His coworkers voted him the winner of the Dennis Byrd Award once more.

After the 2011 season, Tomlinson's deal with the Jets came to an end. He said in the aftermath of Miami's season-ending loss, that he would have three to four weeks to decide whether or not to retire or not. Tomlinson returned to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on May 11 to speak at a memorial for former Charger Junior Seau, who had a positive influence on Tomlinson during his rookie season. He signed a one-day deal with the San Diego Chargers on June 18 and then announced his resignation immediately. No other Charger would ever sport Tomlinson's No. 13," Chargers president Dean Spanos said. 21.

Former Rivers, Gates, and three offensive linemen from his 2006 season were among Tomlinson's farewell press conference, as were his wife, mother, and children. Tomlinson, who was recalled the terms of Seau at his own death, described the act as moving to the next stage of his life. "I'm fine with never winning a Super Bowl championship," he said of his inability to win a Super Bowl. We have a lot of memories that we can't recall from championship days, as well as the ones that we can't.

Tomlinson ranked fifth in career rushing attempts (3,174) and yards (13,684) at the time of his retirement, and second in career rushing touchdowns (145). He had 47 100-yard rush games and three 100-yard receiving games. He also ranked third in receptions by a running back, receiving 624 passes for 4,772 yards and a further 17 touchdowns. He came in fourth in career touches (3,798), fifth in yards from scrimmage (18,456), and third in total touchdowns (162). Following Payton, he was only the second player to rush for at least 13,000 yards and catch passes for at least 4,000 yards. Tomlinson made eight of his 12 passing attempts, totaling seven touchdowns and none interceptions, proving his reputation as a versatile back. In the Super Bowl era, only Payton, with eight more touchdown passes than non-quarterbacks. His playoff appearances were less impressive, as he was hospitalized in 2007 and 2008 and only passed for 100 yards once in ten postseason games.

Tomlinson was known for regularly playing well against the Oakland Raiders. He rushed for 2,055 yards in nineteen games against them, at an average of 108.2 yards per game, much higher than his career average of 80.5 yards per game. In each case, he rushed for 22 touchdowns, caught four, and threw another three, in each case more than his total against any other single team.

Tomlinson, who would use stiff-arms to crack tackles, was also effective as a power back on inside runs in a tight field. He'd often leap over the line of scrimmage to score in goal line situations. For the majority of his career, he wore a distinctive dark visor to prevent migraines triggered by stadium lights; this helped prevent defenders from seeing their eyes. Tomlinson would often perform his own "teardrop" moment by placing his left hand behind his head and flipping the ball with his right when scoring. He was often identified by his initials, L.T., a nickname he shared with Hall of Fame New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor.

Schottenheimer rated Tomlinson as the best running back he's seen in 2005, claiming that previous greats such as Jim Brown and Gale Sayers didn't have to wrestle with defenders of the same size and speed. When Tomlinson's number was cut in 2015, a trio of analysts on NFL.com ranked him 3rd, 7th, and 8th on their lists of top running backs in the Super Bowl period. According to Pro-Football-Reference.com, the fifth-best running back in NFL history in 2021. The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players (2000) aired in 2010 and ranked Tomlinson No. 107: The Top 100: NFL's Greatest Players ranked in 2010, making it the highest-ranked player in the NFL. 61 out of all rankings, while a 2019 USA Today survey ranked him at No. 60, despite no. 6 among all categories. 54. However, he was not one of the ten running backs selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

In 2015, the Chargers officially retired his number, as well as inducting him into the Hall of Fame. In 2017, Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, marking his first year of eligibility. Tomlinson said of his ancestors, who had worked as slaves in a plantation in Tomlinson Hill, and issued a call for racial harmony, "On America's team, let's not choose to be against one another." Let's pretend we are all about one another. My great-great-grandfather had no choice but to die. We have one. "I hope we can be the best team we can be, living and breathing together, representing the highest ideals of mankind, and setting the example for all nations to follow."

NFL career statistics

Tomlinson has been credited by the Chargers with a number of accomplishments. The New York Jets' two seasons are deferred by career statistics.

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