When a professional athlete announces his retirement, fans are having a much harder time accepting their brilliant career is over, than the athlete himself or the team he was part of. LaDainian Tomlinson is set to end his NFL career leaving fans wondering who will be able to equal his genius.
The Chargers announced this weekend, LaDainian Tomlinson will end his NFL career. LaDainian Tomlinson is expected to hold a press conference this Monday. He will ceremoniously resign with the San Diego Chargers for one more day and then retire.
Over the past three decades, only a few names can be listed as the best all-purpose backs. LaDainian Tomlinson made this short list with a career that many have ruled to be just brilliant. Both in real time play and in fantasy league, LaDainian Tomlinson was an asset in the team that often secured the win.
Sports Illustrated writes that Tomlinson’s performances can easily take on Marcus Allen and Marshall Faulk when it comes to the best all-purpose back. “I’ll take Tomlinson in history over Allen and argue that Tomlinson and Faulk should be 1 and 1a as the most versatile modern backs” writes Peter King.
It’s likely many NFL fans would have wished to see LaDainian Tomlinson play for at least one more season. His retirement surely comes a bit sooner than what anybody would have expected. With Tomlinson ending his NFL career, fantasy football buffs are going to have to rethink their strategies.
Toni Monkovic writes on New York Times N.F.L. blog “there was once a time when landing LaDainian Tomlinson on your fantasy roster felt as if you had won the lottery. Your league mates that season were simply out of luck”.
The 32-year-old running back was first drafted by San Diego in 2001 and in only a short period of time Tomlinson surged as one of the team’s most brilliant players. He ends his career with 145 touchdowns and 13,684 yards.
New York Daily News writes that Tomlinson’s most memorable moment with The Charges must have been December 10, 2006. Tomlinson “swept into the end zone late in a game against the Denver Broncos for his third touchdown of the afternoon to break Shaun Alexander’s year-old record of 28 touchdowns”.
