LaDainian Tomlinson was born on June 13, 1979 in Rosebud, Texas. It was apparent early on in life that Tomlinson, or LT as he is called now, was going to be a great athlete. Not only did he always have the size and athleticism to compete at a high level, but he also exhibited a high level of knowledge of the game as well. With all of this put together, it was only a matter of time until Tomlinson began to show the world what he was made of.
Tomlinson played high school sports at University High School. Not only was he a standout player on the football field, but he also played baseball and basketball as well. During his senior season in high school he rushed for more than 2,500 yards and 39 touchdowns. This led to several awards including second team all state, and the districts most valuable player.
Although Tomlinson put up big numbers in high school, he was overlooked by quite a few schools. This led him to Texas Christian University where he would soon blossom into one of the best running backs in the entire country. While he split time in the backfield during his first two seasons, as a junior he broke out. During this season he scored 18 touchdowns, rushed for 1,850 yards, and put up 406 rushing yards in a single game. Tomlinson did more of the same his senior season by rushing for 22 touchdowns and more than 2,100 yards.
With the 5th pick of the 2001 NFL Draft the San Diego Chargers selected Tomlinson. He got off to a quick start during his rookie season by rushing for 1,236 yards and 10 touchdowns. Each year since, Tomlinson has rushed for more than 1,300 yards and scored more than 13 touchdowns. His best season yet came in 2006 when he finished with more than 1,800 yards and 31 touchdowns.
