LaDainian Tomlinson facts for kids
Tomlinson in 2017
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| Los Angeles Chargers | |||||||||||||
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| Position: | Special assistant | ||||||||||||
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| Born: | June 23, 1979 Rosebud, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height: | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | ||||||||||||
| Weight: | 215 lb (98 kg) | ||||||||||||
| Career information | |||||||||||||
| High school: | University (Waco, Texas) |
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| College: | TCU (1997–2000) | ||||||||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2001 / Round: 1 / Pick: 5 | ||||||||||||
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Pro Football Hall of Fame
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College Football Hall of Fame
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LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979), often called "LT", is a famous American former professional football player. He was a running back in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.
After playing amazing college football for the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers picked him as the fifth overall player in the 2001 NFL draft. He played nine years with the Chargers. During that time, he was chosen for the Pro Bowl five times. He also earned three first-team All-Pro awards and led the NFL in rushing yards twice.
In 2006, Tomlinson was named the NFL Most Valuable Player (MVP). He broke the record for most touchdowns in a single season that year. He then played two more seasons with the New York Jets before he retired. Many people think he is one of the greatest running backs ever. He was chosen for the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
LaDainian Tomlinson was born on June 23, 1979, in Rosebud, Texas. His mom was a preacher, and his dad left the family when LaDainian was seven. He grew up with his brother and sister.
When he was nine, LaDainian started playing Pop Warner Little Scholars football. He scored a touchdown the very first time he touched the ball!
He went to University High School in Waco, Texas. There, he played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track. He started playing as a linebacker and fullback in football. But he really shined as a running back.
In his senior year, he ran for 2,554 yards and scored 39 touchdowns. He was named the District MVP and Super Centex Offensive Player of the Year. He was also on the state all-star football team in 1997.
Growing up, Tomlinson loved the Dallas Cowboys and the Miami Hurricanes. His hero was Walter Payton. He also looked up to Emmitt Smith, Jim Brown, and Barry Sanders. He even met Emmitt Smith at a football camp once.
College Football Career at TCU
Tomlinson received a scholarship to play at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth, Texas. He played for the TCU Horned Frogs from 1997 to 2000. Before he arrived, TCU's football team hadn't been very successful.
Becoming a Star Running Back
In his junior year (1999), Tomlinson became the main running back. He ran for 1,850 yards and scored 18 touchdowns. On November 20, 1999, he set a huge record. He rushed for 406 yards in a single game against UTEP! This was an NCAA Division I record at the time.
In his senior year (2000), Tomlinson was incredibly consistent. He ran for over 100 yards and scored at least one touchdown in every game. He led the NCAA with 2,158 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He won the Doak Walker Award as the best college running back. He was also a finalist for the 2000 Heisman Trophy.
Tomlinson finished his college career with 5,263 rushing yards. This was the sixth-most in NCAA Division I history at that time. TCU honored him by retiring his No. 5 jersey in 2005. He also kept a promise to his mom by earning his degree in communications from TCU. In 2014, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Professional Football Career
After a tough 1–15 season in 2000, the San Diego Chargers had the first pick in the 2001 NFL draft. Many thought they would pick quarterback Michael Vick. But the Chargers traded their No. 1 pick to the Atlanta Falcons. They got the No. 5 pick instead, along with other draft picks and a player.
The Chargers had already liked Tomlinson. They picked him fifth overall. Tomlinson was happy to join the Chargers. He knew what it took to rebuild a team, as his college team had also started with a tough season.
San Diego Chargers: A Star is Born
Tomlinson signed a big contract with the Chargers in August 2001. He made his NFL debut on September 9, 2001. He carried the ball 36 times for 113 yards and scored two touchdowns in a win against the Washington Redskins. This was a new record for a Chargers player in their first game.
He continued to play well, rushing for over 100 yards in three of his next four games. By week 4, he led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns. He finished his rookie season with 1,236 rushing yards. This was the second-most in Chargers history at the time. He also broke the franchise record for total yards from scrimmage with 1,603 yards.
Working with Coach Schottenheimer
In 2002, the Chargers hired Marty Schottenheimer as their new head coach. Schottenheimer was known for loving the running game. Tomlinson thrived under him. He set new franchise records for rushing yards (1,683) and rushing touchdowns (14) in 2002. He also caught 79 passes, tying another team record. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl and was named a 2nd-team All-Pro.
In 2003, the Chargers signed Lorenzo Neal, a fullback who was great at blocking. Tomlinson later said Neal was very important to his success. Even though the Chargers struggled, Tomlinson had an amazing year. He rushed for 1,645 yards and caught 100 passes for 725 yards. He became the first NFL player to have 1,000 rushing yards and 100 receptions in the same season. He led the league with 2,370 yards from scrimmage. He also scored 17 total touchdowns.
In 2004, Tomlinson signed a huge eight-year contract. He continued to score touchdowns, leading the NFL with 17 rushing touchdowns. The Chargers made the playoffs for the first time since 1995. Tomlinson earned his second Pro Bowl nomination and was named a 1st-team All-Pro.
2006: NFL MVP Season
The 2006 season was LaDainian Tomlinson's most incredible year. The Chargers had a new starting quarterback, Philip Rivers. Tomlinson started the season strong, tying and then breaking the NFL record for consecutive games with a rushing touchdown.
He had an amazing streak of eight games in a row where he rushed for at least two touchdowns and 100 yards. In week 11, he scored his 100th career touchdown in just 89 games. This made him the fastest player ever to reach that milestone, beating Jim Brown and Emmitt Smith.
In week 14, Tomlinson broke the NFL record for most touchdowns in a single season (31 total touchdowns). He also broke the record for most rushing touchdowns in a season (28). He set a new NFL record for most points scored in a single season with 186.
Tomlinson led the league with 1,815 rushing yards. The Chargers finished with a fantastic 14–2 record. On January 5, 2007, Tomlinson was named the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player. He also won the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award and the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award. He was a unanimous 1st-Team All-Pro.
Despite his amazing season, the Chargers lost their first playoff game to the New England Patriots.
Later Chargers Years
In 2007, Norv Turner became the Chargers' new head coach. Tomlinson continued to lead the league in rushing yards (1,474) and rushing touchdowns (15). He became the first player since Edgerrin James to win back-to-back rushing titles. He also reached 10,000 career rushing yards. He was chosen for his fifth and final Pro Bowl.
In the 2007 playoffs, Tomlinson helped the Chargers win their first playoff game since 1994. However, he injured his knee in the next game and couldn't play much in the AFC Championship game, which the Chargers lost.
In 2008 and 2009, Tomlinson dealt with injuries. His rushing yards and touchdowns decreased as the Chargers' offense focused more on passing. In 2009, he set a record with nine straight seasons of 10 or more rushing touchdowns. He also passed Marcus Allen, Marshall Faulk, and Jim Brown on the career rushing yardage list.
On January 31, 2010, Tomlinson was named to the National Football League 2000s All-Decade Team. He led the NFL in rushing yards for the 2000s. The Chargers released him on February 22, 2010, after nine seasons.
New York Jets: Chasing a Championship
In March 2010, Tomlinson signed a two-year contract with the New York Jets. He wanted to help the team win a Super Bowl. He played alongside another running back, Shonn Greene.
In his first season with the Jets (2010), Tomlinson rushed for 914 yards. He also caught 52 passes for 368 yards. He stayed healthy and helped the Jets reach the playoffs. In the playoffs, he scored two touchdowns in a Wild Card win against the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets made it to the AFC Championship Game but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
In 2011, his final season, Tomlinson took on a new role. He became more of a third-down back, focusing on catching passes. He had 42 catches for 449 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He played his former team, the Chargers, and the Jets won. He passed Barry Sanders and Jerome Bettis on the all-time yards from scrimmage and rushing yards lists. The Jets missed the playoffs that year.
Retirement and Legacy
On June 18, 2012, LaDainian Tomlinson officially retired from the NFL. He signed a special one-day contract with the San Diego Chargers so he could retire as a Charger. The Chargers honored him by retiring his No. 21 jersey.
At the time he retired, Tomlinson was fifth in NFL history in career rushing yards (13,684) and second in career rushing touchdowns (145). He also caught 624 passes for 4,772 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was known for being a very versatile player. He even threw seven touchdown passes in his career!
Tomlinson was especially good against the Oakland Raiders. He rushed for over 2,000 yards and scored 22 rushing touchdowns against them.
His playing style was unique. He was an elusive runner who could break tackles with a stiff arm. He was also strong enough to run inside. In goal-line situations, he would often leap over the line to score. He wore a dark visor to help with migraines from stadium lights. After scoring, he would often do his "teardrop" celebration.
In 2015, the Chargers put him in their Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame. In 2017, LaDainian Tomlinson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. During his speech, he talked about his ancestors who were slaves and called for racial unity.
Life After Football
Since retiring, Tomlinson has worked as an analyst for the NFL Network. He also helps cover Chargers preseason games.
He wrote the foreword for a book called Tomlinson Hill, which tells the story of two families, one white and one black, from a plantation in Texas. LaDainian's ancestors were slaves on that plantation.
Tomlinson has his own charity foundation. It helps high school and college students, provides meals for people in need, and supports after-school programs. He received the Bart Starr Award in 2008 for his work on and off the field.
In 2017, the Los Angeles Chargers announced that Tomlinson joined the team as a special assistant to the owner. He helps the team connect with new fans after their move to Los Angeles.
His nephew, Tre Tomlinson, also played football at TCU and was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 2023.
NFL Career Stats (Highlights)
Here are some of LaDainian Tomlinson's career highlights:
- Total Rushing Yards: 13,684
- Total Rushing Touchdowns: 145
- Total Receptions: 624
- Total Receiving Yards: 4,772
- Total Receiving Touchdowns: 17
- Total Touchdowns (Rushing + Receiving): 162
- Passing Touchdowns: 7
Awards and Honors
- Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee (2017)
- NFL MVP (2006)
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2006)
- Walter Payton Man of the Year (2006)
- 3× First-team Associated Press All-Pro (2004, 2006, 2007)
- 5× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
- 2× NFL rushing leader (2006, 2007)
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team
- San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame (2015)
- No. 21 retired by Chargers (2015)
- Best Male Athlete ESPY Award (2007)
- Bart Starr Man of the Year Award (2008)
Personal Life
LaDainian Tomlinson is a Christian. He met his wife, LaTorsha Oakley, when they were both students at TCU. They got married on March 21, 2003. They have two children, a son born in 2010 and a daughter born in 2011.
Tomlinson has appeared in commercials for companies like Nike and Campbell Soup.
Images for kids
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Tomlinson being tackled at the 2006 Pro Bowl.
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Tomlinson warming up in 2008.
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Tomlinson in 2011 with the Jets.
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Tomlinson threw for seven touchdowns in his career.
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Chart showing Tomlinson's career touchdown tally after each game of his career. Rushing and receiving touchdowns are both included.
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Tomlinson against the Cleveland Browns in 2006. He scored 3 of his NFL single-season record 31 touchdowns in the game.
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Lorenzo Neal, Tomlinson's fullback.
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See also
In Spanish: LaDainian Tomlinson para niños
