Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday …LaDainian Tomlinson

LaDainian Tomlinson played 11 seasons in the NFL with both the San Diego Chargers and the New York Jets. He was selected with the fifth overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Chargers.

Tomlinson was selected to five Pro Bowls, was an All-Pro six times, and won two rushing titles (2006 and 2007). At the time of his retirement, he ranked fifth in career rushing yards (13,684), seventh in all-purpose yards (18,456), second in career rushing touchdowns (145), and third in total touchdowns (162).

He spent nine seasons with the Chargers. During the 2006 NFL season, he set several NFL touchdown scoring records and received numerous honors and awards including the NFL’s Most Valuable Player Award and the Associated Press‘s Offensive Player of the Year Award. In 2010, he signed as a free agent with the New York Jets, playing for two seasons before retiring after 2011.

An effective passer on halfback option plays, Tomlinson threw seven touchdown passes and ranks second behind Walter Payton (8) for non-quarterbacks since the AFL–NFL merger in 1970. He was named to the NFL’s 2000s All-Decade Team as one of the top running backs of the 2000s.

Smallthoughts: Old School Tuesday spotlights…LaDainian Tomlinson.

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Career history
San Diego Chargers (2001–2009) New York Jets (2010–2011)
Career highlights and awards
5× Pro Bowl (2002, 2004–2007) 3× First-team All-Pro (2004, 2006, 2007) 3× Second-team All-Pro (2002, 2003, 2005) NFL Most Valuable Player (2006) NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2006) Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2006) 2× NFL rushing yards leader (2006, 2007) 3× NFL rushing touchdowns leader (2004, 2006, 2007) NFL 2000s All-Decade Team Los Angeles Chargers No. 21 retired Los Angeles Chargers Hall of Fame Consensus All-American (2000) 2× First-team All-WAC (1999, 2000) 2× WAC Offensive Player of The Year (1999, 2000) TCU Horned Frogs No. 5 retired NFL records 28 rushing touchdowns, season (2006) 31 touchdowns from scrimmage, season (2006) 18 consecutive games with a touchdown (tied)
Career NFL statistics
Rushing yards: 13,684 Rushing average: 4.3 Rushing touchdowns: 145 Receptions: 624 Receiving yards: 4,772 Receiving touchdowns: 17