LaDainian Tomlinson will go into Hall of Fame as a San Diego Charger
By Travis Wakeman
It won’t be long and LaDainian Tomlinson will take his rightful place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
One of the greatest running backs in NFL history, Tomlinson will be part of a great 2017 class that includes Terrell Davis, Kurt Warner and others. And for those fans who may have been concerned, Tomlinson will represent the San Diego Chargers, not the Los Angeles Chargers, when he goes in, according to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com.
“I’m going in as a San Diego Charger because that’s who I played for. And I recognize that you cannot erase the history of 56 years in San Diego”, said Tomlinson.
Though the team is still working to win over a fanbase in the Los Angeles area while hoping to keep as many fans from San Diego as possible, it’s an unnerving idea to think of Tomlinson being introduced for the final time as a member of the Los Angeles Chargers. That would just be a final slap to the face, so it’s nice to hear that Tomlinson will represent the city he played in for nine seasons after being selected with the No. 5 overall pick of the 2001 NFL draft.
Tomlinson will be presented by former teammate Lorenzo Neal.
He finished his career with 13,684 yards rushing and 162 total touchdowns, including an NFL record 31 touchdowns in 2006. He currently ranks as the No. 5 leading rusher in NFL history.
More from Bolt Beat
- LA Chargers: 3 early takeaways from 2021 minicamp thus far
- LA Chargers: Drue Tranquill takes a jab at Gus Bradley’s defense
- LA Chargers second-year players: Nothing to lose and a lot to gain
- LA Chargers: Why running back could be a big issue for the Bolts
- LA Chargers: Chris Rumph’s upside is Melvin Ingram-like, but better
Those numbers helped Tomlinson become a first-ballot inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, where he’ll join Dan Fouts, Lance Alworth, Fred Dean, Charlie Joiner, Ron Mix, Kellen Winslow and Junior Seau as Chargers in the Hall of Fame.
Future inductees may go in as members of the Los Angeles Chargers, but it’s quite refreshing to see that LT will be sticking with the city that enjoyed his brilliance for so many years.