A Football Life: LaDainian Tomlinson

a football life is presented by Chase I've seen trained monkeys donkeys elephants big old tigers and lions I said you've never seen him train Jackrabbit and I said you're like a jackrabbit when you get the ball you don't know where you're going [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] if you believe it you might be the finest quarterback producing a steady retailer [Music] my job team game [Music] I've been away for a long time I haven't made this driver years every time I made this drive I got to see my dad this is my roots this is where my family first came here as slaves and I guess I have a certain feeling a certain order of that that I have when I come here [Music] hila Dania I'm doing good Chris Tomlinson all right Chris Thomas yeah it's good to meet you nice to meet you as you can tell we have the same name yes our families have been kind of connected since the founding of this hill in 1859 my great-great grandfather James Kendrick Tomlinson came from Alabama mm-hmm he brought with him 50 slaves start a cotton plantation here on the Brazos and our families have been together ever since then the Danny and Tom Munson's father was the last name Tomlinson to live in Tomlinson Hill he grew up in this house and returned there after divorcing LaDainian mom when the Danian was four years old some days were spent watching football with dad what he used to do all the time to make sure I paid attention and to kind of quiz me on the rules and what's going on in football he will leave the room you know for about ten minutes at a time sometimes and come back and asked me what happened the Danian would often recount the actions of a certain running back you had this guy wanted to pay very tough physical but also had the movement and wasn't a very big guy I wasn't a very big guy once Walter retired emic took over their role being the running back that I lived up to and I followed when he was 13 he had his heart set on attending a Cowboys football camp why do I mom said boy you know the dad I don't know about this you know you're gonna have to stand dorms you're gonna be gone for three days and whatnot and look how much money cause I said mom I need this this is what I've been waiting for the dannion is one of those rare kids that he doesn't ask for anything and so when you look at him asking and he's so joyful about it you're gonna work every way possible to do whatever you can to get that dream for him I remember I wanted to go oh of course I want to do everything he did you know but though he got to go during a handoff drill a surprise visitor made an appearance let me submit just jumps in the line and happens to be handing the ball off to me and all the kids that's in the line he happened to be handing the ball off to me I remember the kids were going crazy I mean we was fighting they was trying to get in front of me so they could take a hair doll from Emmitt and I was like no this is my spot you know I'm taking the handoff later on that day I'm leaving the dorm room to go upstairs and Miss Smith that's coming downstairs and he almost runs me over holds me up keeps me from following kids you all right oh yes sir I'm great and say hey kid you know you got some talent you got some speed keep working hard and I was like yes yes sir yes sir he was one of those kids that you just could not ignore he's one of those kids that you sit back in like wow man this boy here you keep it up you're gonna be something someday that experience alone changed my life because it gave me confidence in myself it gave me believed LaDainian would not get a chance to start it running back for his high school until his senior year but before the season arrived his mom announced they were moving two hours away mom no way you can't do this to me right now mom I said I said mom if I want to have a chance to go to college I need to stay at this high school this is my best chance to show people what I can do just show the scouts what I could do he begged me cuz I was all set to take him with there was no way I was leaving him behind I looked at him and I go you know what this kid has never ever ever caused me any problems so I said okay Tanya that's okay but I'll be down for every football game he said no and he hugged me thank you mama thank you thank you LaDainian stayed behind and lived with the family of one of his teammates in his first game starting at running back for University High he scored six touchdowns he didn't have a whole lot of teams that was recruiting well he's not quite the size that we're looking for well you know he doesn't quite have that for tea time that we're looking for on the field LaDainian refused to be brought down but off of it he stumbled I said LaDainian you've been drinking and he just oh and he just started crying just poo and you could hear him but just big tears just crying I'm so sorry mom I'm sorry I'm sorry I said do I need to come get you say okay you know strike one I never hit I never went to strike two a few days later she received a letter beauteous back here I cry every time I read this letter cuz it still means so much to me hello mom how are you doing mom I love you so much that every time I said all right it brings tears to my eyes one day you will be the proudest mom in the world because I'm going to go to college and graduate and if God is willing going to play pro football and be the best person I can because that's how you raised me mom I thank you so much for everything you have and still doing for me because it is hard not having a father who I can talk to and get advice from you did the very best sorry so sloppy keep crying Dania coming up LaDainian signs with one of the few schools to offer him a scholarship and has a day no division one running back has ever had [Applause] [Music] [Applause] together we make the game safer from the ground up by making sure the fit of the equipment is every bit as good as the equipment by making proper tackling the goal from the very first snap and by making certification more important than any win-loss record we make the game safer because to us is so much more than just a game make sure your coaches heads up certified today go to USA football comm together we make the preparation the story and it all starts when Thursday night race now he is gone that's where you win or lose football games right there [Music] got it [Music] Thursday night football 13 games [Applause] of what you love [Music] [Music] so the main house was up here and then all the cotton farming was done in the river bottoms so up here is where the slaves lived and this structure over here I'm pretty sure was one of the slave quarters it was clearly built before the civil war and almost certainly was built by your ancestors how do you know based on their workmanship the way they use wooden pegs the dovetailing in the joints and this is one of the last buildings of this age that still stands in Falls County and it's on Tomlinson Hill LaDainian father worked in construction too as a roofer and on-the-job accident left him physically injured and emotionally broken he didn't play with me as much didn't hang out and do the tea party thing with me no more I would hear him and mom kind of arguing more he just wasn't the same anymore a big part of that was pain medication and then you know you move from that on to something else he started to distance himself from the family and so I saw him less and less you know when I think back now maybe it was a way of my father you know hiding some things and not woman you know me to see certain things that he will going through LaDainian father made a surprise appearance to see him play during his junior season at Texas Christian University I just remember thinking I might impress him so much that he want to come back to see me play again and again and again [Music] LaDainian had 75 rushing yards one of his worst games of the season I remember him being in tears afterwards and we'd won the game and we had a pretty good game I'm talking to him trying to figure out what's wrong and he said you know coach I just wanted to play so well the name because this is the only time my dad's ever got to see me play a game the next week LaDainian would have the attention of the entire country [Music] [Applause] with records on the line I had it up [Applause] carries 300 yards and six all I remember his coach grabbed me said you know you need like four yards to get the national record and I'm sorry what and was like yeah do you want to get it I said college test that's not important to me we got the win he said no you go kid here's the handoff but it put me at like I don't know like 398 the something it was like about to get 400 yards no one has ever done that before give it to him again [Music] [Applause] LT at 10:00 [Applause] and the whole team is gathered around [Music] tcu went one in ten when Tomlinson was a freshman his senior year they finished ten and two Tomlinson ran for over 2000 yards and was named a finalist for the Heisman Trophy [Music] I know you have something in common with one of the other finalists here this evening it was funny because me and drew brees playing on the same all-star team in high school one played or awful past him and I had to make well you got a thing drew for that it was at that moment in New York where we said wouldn't that be something if played a high school all-star game together here we are at the heisman together if we played in the NFL together sure enough a few months later LT goes in the first round I go in the second round with the San Diego Chargers and the Chargers were one in 15 new year before we made a pet to each other that we will bring the championship to San Diego Tomlinson's first NFL quarterback would not be Drew Brees but Doug Flutie who played with Tomlinson's boyhood idol Walter Payton he really reminded me day one of Walter Payton he has the ability to throw the football which Walter could do his ability to run routes and catch the ball third down pass protections he knew what was going on his work ethic I have a visual in my mind of Walter running the hill with the Rose headband on when I built my house in San Diego built to heel in the backyard Tomlinson was intent on taking the Chargers to the top when Drew Brees took over his quarterback that goal appeared in reach [Music] in 2003 Tomlinson became the first player to rush for a thousand yards and catch a hundred passes in 2004 the Chargers won their first division title in a decade by the time we got to 2005 I think we all felt like we're right there on the cusp in the final game of the season Brees tore his shoulder a contract dispute followed and Brees never played for the Chargers again that dream that we had established together in 2001 was gone I was hurt confused but I knew we had a young first-round quarterback in Phillip Rivers coming up the Chargers change quarterbacks and Tomlinson rewrites the record book own NFL a football wife season two today on DVD hey what are you doing today I'm backing up the computer photos work files you name it lovely in a few hours [Music] [Music] she get everything backed up took care of it for just $59.99 a year Carbonite backs of your irreplaceable files automatically so you don't have to try it for free at carbonite.com I used to drink energy shots to get me through the day I had two problems they taste bitter and they're expensive then I found energized energized isn't a drink it's a time released energy tablet so there's no bitter taste to energized tablets in the morning gives you all day energy with no jitters and no crash and every energized box gives you more energy than 14 energy shots all day energy no bitter taste half the cost energize you can get energized at these fine stores in discount super centers nationwide for a two dollar off coupon visit try energize calm that's try energize calm at TCU LaDainian Tomlinson won the hearts of college football fans everywhere but he was focused on a certain classmate nice in scouts out you know I play football so we got Scouts everywhere and I quickly became aware of that she was a bill Gates Millennium scholar I don't think is she's smart she's beautiful could've been older than 18 or 19 when he first started talking about wanting a family and wanting kids and I'm thinking to myself he's obviously at a different place in his life and I am at mine trouble [Music] in 2003 LaDainian and latosha married two years later they were expecting their first child my wife kept on saying that she hadn't felt the baby move get to the hospital give the room and they put the machine on her and sure enough no baby's heartbeat you know baby is dead I was naive to it I never thought this could happen at the same time LaDainian worried about losing his ailing father he lived in the old shack the house was all beat up but it was his mother's house and my father didn't want to leave I really wish he would move out here with me he's saved so I can take care of him the Danian couldn't be with his father but in San Diego he found a father figure in head coach Marty Schottenheimer right wrong or otherwise you have favorites baby Tomlinson was a favorite for me I loved him like he was my own Marty would say the day in I need you not to be good today I need you to be great he said power football is what I long we're gonna wear people down and you're going to be the dire to do it [Music] Tomlinson began to resemble the player who inspired him at a football camp Emmitt Smith [Music] especially when it came to scoring touchdowns [Music] ashle it is sweet it is when you got the ball inside the two yard line everybody in the stands knew what you were going to do with it you knew the LT chants were going to start and he's going to get in there in 2006 Tomlinson would win League MVP and challenge the single-season touchdown mark once held by Smith LaDainian Tomlinson mr. everything is in today with 26 touchdowns a record for one season his 28 I really didn't think that I was gonna break it that day with four minutes left Tomlinson was one touchdown away from tying the record [Music] football immortality of a godsend let's get it let's get the record you've got the ball back at the seven hey you've already seen the record tied you got a chance to see it broken right now I said guys you know we're gonna all be all one day and we look back on this clip I don't want it to be about me I want to be about us I was crying in the huddle just because I knew we were about to do some of my had tears of my eyes snap and I was like oh god don't mess the snap and oh my god LTS get on my hip and don't dip let's go we're gonna score this touchdown I'm like this is gonna be great I get that lead LTM I'm gonna be on NFL Network this is gonna be great the play is designed to go straight up the middle I see the safety I'm going to go blow this guy up I tripped my fault so what did I do now bounce [Music] the joy they had picking him up and everybody felt a part of the great number 21 his humble it's a day is celebrated with all of his teammates in the end zone there was no spotlight dance pointing to the guys pointing to the crowd it wasn't about him and that's why guys loved him [Music] [Applause] I'm intentionally had a year was it 26 31 touchdowns 31 touchdowns in one season it's crazy number the 14 and 2 Chargers had the best record in the NFL entering the playoffs [Music] Tomlinson had 17 first half touches as the Chargers built an 11 point lead in the second half he had only eight [Music] if we could go back in time would it just ran the ball just probably 50 60 times that game Patriots have won the game it is a shell-shocked crowd here as the Sun sets in San Diego the best team that I have ever been on first round by number one seed done they ran out to the motor field and start dancing in fact they started doing the Shawne Merriman lights out dance I felt like I need to make a statement for my team I'm the captain and I'm not gonna let you dance on my field [Music] [Applause] in the incident where opponent team come in and start dancing in the middle I mean we all know that's a sign of disrespect don't defile our symbol we don't need that and he was the point man and he stood up for the team I can't sit there and watched it and so yeah I was very upset and just a fact of the way they showed no class at all absolutely no class and maybe cause from a head coach Tomlinson's anger would soon be redirected toward his own team after the defeat the Chargers fired Marty Schottenheimer I was furious the organization was changing this team and basically breaking the team apart he was the white coach for us he was what we needed at that time one month after losing his biggest game and his most influential mentor Tomlinson would suffer his most devastating loss yet I remember getting ahold torture and telling her to break the news to him because I knew he wouldn't take it away off she put the fall down and she said your dad you know he was killed in a car accident [Music] it was hard for me to deal with for a long time I felt like I was just starting to get to know my father in my adult life I never got the chance I felt like to say certain things that I wanted to say and I felt like I had more time and you know he was gone coming up Tomlinson's abrupt goodbye to his football home you'll love choice hotels to during the fall for choice hotels 30 percent off sale get 30% off our already low raisin sale ends soon only at choice hotels calm Friday night buddy you are gonna need a wingman and my cash back keeps the party going but my li miles take it well Dwight it shouldn't be this hard with credit cards calm it's easy to search hundreds of cars and apply online credit cards calm [Music] when emancipation came james k called all the slaves up to that main house and that's where he announced that you know as of today you're as free as me and that was the end of slavery in texas so the fact it was done right about where that old tree is fallen over there that's about the point now the Union troops told the former slaves we don't want you leaving this is where the jobs are this is where the food is you know you need to stay here on this same plot of land but from now on you're going to be paid hmm James K loaded up the former slaves on the wagon and then took them down to the County Courthouse and that's where the county clerk said okay what what do you want to take is your last name oh okay and that's how we got our last name Tom that's and that's when you chose to take the name Tomlinson your family your ancestors did for years Tomlinson had the most popular name in San Diego there has never been a greater charger they were one of the two worst teams when he first got there and then they became a team that perennially was in the playoffs [Applause] appreciate this young player enough absolutely one of the great talents that will ever play this game and combine that with the charity things he did this bear I need a home you see him after every single game take pictures and talk with the kids that were a part of this foundation [Music] he was San Diego when I think I San Diego I think of the beaches and I think of the Dania I remember I will go to some football camps and he showed up it was it was like Michael Jordan was there and it was the greatest thing ever Reggie I got a chance to work out with him I thought that I was in shape and I was gonna be able to hang with them I ended up throwing up in a workout hit home for me and this is where I need to get to if I wanted to make it to the NFL if I want to be one of the best lt's always been i'd say a quiet leader he lets his actions speak for themselves but when something needs to be said he says it and everybody listens in 2007 the Chargers had a new head coach Norv Turner Norv Turner sold himself for the job by saying in part if you want to win a championship you've got to develop Phillip Rivers it's a quarterback's new and Sola Damien's role became diminished somewhat in the 2007 playoffs for the first time in his career Tomlinson's importance to the Chargers was questioned somebody hit me right in in my knee and my me bucko I've never been hurt like this never had anything like this find out that I have an MCL sprain so for weak injury Tomlinson was out so was Phillip Rivers with a torn ACL finishing the game with backups the Chargers upset the Colts I'm thinking championship games next week I'm gonna play I'm absolutely gonna play there's no way that I'm not gonna play san Diego's opponent and old nemesis the 17 and Oh Patriots both rivers and Tomlinson started the game but Tomlinson's day lasted just two drives at that point I knew Michael Turner is a better running back than me right now with this knee injury that I have and so I decided to pull myself I'm of course I took a lot of a lot of heat for that you're a big-time player and big-time players must play in big-time games I know a lot of people will get L to pass and say you know we don't know what happened but right now as his teammates and fans looking on you gotta come it must be a surgery for him to get a pass on this one going into that game Phillip had come off of surgery which no one at the time had announced and the team had really not spoken much about lt''s injury obviously we don't want to give our opponent any kind of information that could help them which in retrospect didn't help Elte situation because when he tried to go and couldn't go people were a little surprised by that internally we weren't people wanted juxtapose his situation without a Phillip Rivers and they say well Phillip Rivers had knee surgery the week of that game and he played the entire game how could LaDainian not do it how could he not be on the field I was in a position I'd have to make many cuts you know and I was gonna be able to stand in that pocket and and throw and and in lt''s game is based off cutting and running and all that so two completely separate bills and it was blown completely out of proportion and people say while he was sulking and maybe he was but you have to understand how much it hurt him not being able to be out on that field the following year another postseason injury another season-ending defeat da cunha thinkin that I was cursed to something like it wasn't meant to be to play in the playoffs and be healthy I don't think anybody can know the frustration all my life all I've wanted to do is play football and win a championship and the feel so helpless you know to be at this point where we have a chance to do it and again I can't do anything but I can't play the player most identified with San Diego's rise was now being discussed for his decline have you been insane the last couple years left they have a ginger you know so fortune something such a good guy good player he's still beats but he does not feel like 50 touchdowns something you know whatever had that one year we can feel the tension in the air you can feel in locker room um anytime a guy of that caliber um he's Road diminishes not getting the curious that he'd know me gets you feel some is wrong he's not hurt he still can play you just you know it was like a or in the hair that you just feel some was changing in 2009 San Diego entered the playoffs thirteen and three and winners of 11 in a row [Applause] come on Tomlinson was held 224 rushing yards and the Chargers lost once more as I accident to fear I remember thinking that's it one month later Tomlinson was a free agent the charges released LT and I was I was shocked not because of what he was able to do that year or what he could've did was in the future but what he had done up until that point how he changed culture I changed way people view San Diego you always felt like it was always a spot here for him no matter what he meant that much to San Diego but at the same time I understand the business side of it it is a business unfortunately when it comes to decisions like that and it was a very very difficult decision he truly was the heart and soul of our franchise for all the years they was here he was very emotional and it's it's a hard thing sometimes emotions is what makes Spurs and as you guys know I've always my what my emotions on my sleep so for them not sorry no thank you coming up Tomlinson finds a new home and gets one more shot at a familiar foe together we make hearts pound [Music] together we make a hope together we make time stand still [Music] but you have to be there in order to make your Stadium gameday experience safer and get you to your seats faster the NFL has enhanced its safety policy every member of the family can carry items in the following ways anything that fits in your pockets can stay in your pockets a clear plastic or vinyl tote bag measuring no larger than twelve by six by twelve or a clear plastic freezer bag no larger than one gallon you can also bring in a small clutch bag or small purse approximately the size of an adult's hand for more detailed information visit nfl.com slash all-clear [Music] after nine star-studded seasons but another playoff disappointment the San Diego Chargers deem LaDainian Tomlinson expendable like somebody almost questioned his competitiveness which was an absolute joke I mean I know he could still play there was no doubt it gets still playing this guy's special there's there's does that mean that's the word that comes to mind when you talk about LaDainian I mean he is special the type of person he is the kind of attitude he has the kind of skills he has it was probably as much about recruiting his wife as it was him five years after her miscarriage Latasha Tomlinson was again expecting the Jets were great at getting me set up with a doctor who know exactly what you know what was going on with me my history didn't hurt that they had this little tiny ones he made that said Tomlinson on the bag was egregious onesie daelin Tomlinson born July 7th 2010 was quickly embraced by the Jets LaDainian would have a tougher time [Laughter] [Music] when we saw that video we had to handle them they played this on the bus they playing on the planes look at this guy he's making rap video [Music] Tomlinson set out to show his new teammates he not only belonged he was determined to succeed they've been happy with LT is for all he's a great kid boy no he doesn't have the top end speed that he once had I'll tell you what he's gonna bring some of my very positive leadership to this football team he's got something to prove losing Marty and losing his dad losing our baby learning to get that thicker tougher skin after getting so much criticism from fans who loved you so much one a minute and then quickly hate you so much the next minute I think that is what created the Bedini and everybody saw once he got to the Jets I was even shocked to see him letting all that emotion out you know we're having a meeting during the season he wanted to come up and speak in front of group he wear this awesome Vince Lombardi quote even reading that passage from Vince Lombardi his passion was just seeping out of him and it was just dead silence in that meeting room where guys like whoa this guy loves football from that point on he became the leader you know sure enough on game day everybody knew when they came out they're gonna rally around one guy [Music] what moves Lavinia Thompson banks on the line back inside outside : [Music] he's got a chance to go over a thousand yards in the last game and I said well you know let's get you that thousand yards and he goes you know what let's just keep me fresh for the playoffs and then I'll be ready to roll and he was [Music] but 23-yard a Tomlinson he ran through at least three [Music] way up the gold on he's in touchdown judge winner next Tomlinson's nemesis best record in football and a team that beat the Jets by 42 points [Music] [Music] he wasn't gonna be a huge part of the plan we didn't think going in the game but he had a different look in his eye we couldn't keep him off the field [Music] yes touchdown Jets [Applause] you know I really felt like his Redemption I [Music] [Applause] up next Tomlinson completes his career and learns the most revealing part of his family's story a football life is presented by Chase so you can farmers presents 15 seconds of smart so you want to drive more safely stop eating take deep breaths avoid bad weather get eight hours turn it down and of course talk to farmers hi the day before the 2011 season opener the Tomlinson's were preparing for the birth of their second child doctor says she's in labor she's gonna have this baby pretty soon what right now me my mom my parents everybody was latina and you focus on the game we can pick her up in the hospital he's like no one's driving my newborn baby home from the hospital for the first time except me like okay that's what you want to do I drop to the team meeting then I Drive back to the hospital and drive right back to the game for New Yorkers this wasn't just any game night it was the tenth anniversary of 9/11 [Music] Tomlinson helped give New York an uplifting victory eight months later he made his first trip back to San Diego to help that city heal after the death of junior saya he was unsure how he was going to be received by the fans at this celebration of life and their almost 20,000 people there the fans game your standing ovation [Applause] I quickly remember that I was home you know that this was you know my football home San Diego what I'd like to do is ask L&T to come up to make this official and sign a new contract and all the hoopla and all the fireworks on the house side about how he left and how it happened and in New York and all of that I always felt like he was gonna end up a retired charger and still be thought of as he should be as one of the greatest Chargers ever or the greatest running backs ever everybody can't win a championship you really can [Music] I guess he wants I was talking to who I consider father figure coach Marty Schottenheimer he said LT there was many days that you had that your friends had that your family had every championship days just because you didn't win the ultimate Super Bowl championship I know we got many memories that we can call them championship days it was not that long ago your father picked a thousand pounds of cotton a day a thousand pounds of little fluff balls you know my grandfather was a Klansman it was not that long ago I do believe that you know the only way we can move forward as if we're honest about our past my my great-great uncle helped your great grandfather build this house on this plot of land said I would never know that I've never had a chance to meet my my grandfather your grandfather was a leader in the community he was a high-ranking Mason he was a deacon in the church and your great-great great-grandfather Milo he bought land from a white family not far from here in 1875 and owned his own firm you know and that was almost unheard of in that era for a former slave to own his own land the Tomlinson's have a lot to be proud of both white and black of what they've done for this community spaceless have a kiss that's a big turtle that's a big turtle it can't hurt you so clotee get back in it's amazing now he's knowing the story of my family the past now having kids of my own having to tell them the story you know my dad and my family didn't talk about it a lot they want to move on and I guess they wanted an obviously a better life for us to me the most amazing thing is how far we've come in five generations we've gone from my family being slave holders to me spinning a career in Africa and you going from your family being enslaved to being one of the greatest athletes the world's ever seen I'll tell you man it gives me a sense of pride for the name Thomas and now you

Channel: Chargers33

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Length: 49min 0sec (2940 seconds)

Published: Mon Dec 18 2017