Monday, June 29, 2009
By most standards, 30 is still young.
By NFL running back standards, 30 is a fossil.
Yet fresh off his 30th birthday last Tuesday, San Diego Chargers tailback LaDainian Tomlinson laughs off the notion that he’s reached dinosaur status as a football player. His message to those critics ready to call his career over?
I’m not done yet.
“It’s great motivation,” said Tomlinson, back in Waco on Sunday for his eighth annual Camp LT. “It’s great motivation for a guy who’s always had something to prove. Look at my track record, where I’ve come from. People have said things all throughout my career. I can’t wait to get back out there, because I want to see what (the critics) are going to say when things are rolling. See what happens then.”
The career of the average NFL running back lasts just 2.6 years; Tomlinson is entering his ninth season.
Last season some NFL analysts began to cry that Tomlinson, the former University High and TCU star, had hit the proverbial wall. Though LT rushed for 1,110 yards — fourth-most in the AFC — and scored 12 touchdowns, his yardage total was a career low and he battled a toe injury most of the season.
Then a groin injury prevented Tomlinson from playing part of the Chargers’ playoff win over Indianapolis and all of the next week’s loss to Pittsburgh.
“It was the toughest thing I’ve had to deal with in my career, because having never missed a game due to injury before, that was difficult,” Tomlinson said. “It motivated me to want to get back out there and jump back on the horse, and prove you can ride it all the way through, like you used to, and still be dominant.”
No question Tomlinson understands dominance — his career has been the picture of it. His 11,760 career rushing yards are 14th-best all time, and only three players — Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith and Marcus Allen — have scored more than LT’s 141 career touchdowns.
San Diego head coach Norv Turner said in March that he wants Tomlinson to tote the ball at least 320 times this season, though LT will still probably share some reps with electrifiying fourth-year pro Darren Sproles, who gained an average of 13.9 yards per touch (including returns) in 2008.
If there’s any friction between the players, it’s not apparent on the surface. Tomlinson said he welcomes what Sproles brings to the field, because it’ll only help his own effectiveness.
“Obviously Sproles is a different kind of runner than (former Charger and current Falcon) Michael Turner, but that’s what Michael gave me,” Tomlinson said. “He allowed me to stay fresh, to get out of the game, so I was able to close in the fourth quarter. So Sproles can do the same thing. We’re going to work well together. Our backfield is going to be very explosive, and it’s going to be fun.”
During Sunday’s camp one fan jokingly told LT, “We love the Chargers, but we want you to come to the Cowboys.” — a remark that sparked applause from a number of onlookers.
Tomlinson chuckled at the comment, but he’s deadly serious about pursuing something owned by his idol, former Cowboy Emmitt Smith.
No, not Smith’s all-time rushing mark, or the nearly 6,000 yards he gained after the age of 30.
That stuff would be nice, but LT covets Smith’s jewelry collection most of all.
“At this point, for me, it’s the championship that I want most,” he said. “I’ve done everything else. So, hopefully, pretty soon that happens.”
bcherry@wacotrib.com
757-5714
