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LaDainian Tomlinson - Source: Getty Images -
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LaDainian Tomlinson, who became one of the NFL's best running
backs during a nine-year career, has been released by the San Diego
Chargers.
The 30-year-old, who is San Diego's all-time rusher, had expected
the move for some time since he was due a US$2 million roster bonus
on March 5. He would have earned US$5 million in total salary this
year.
"This is a part of the business that I hate," Chargers president
Dean Spanos said on the team's website (
www.chargers.com).
"Change involving great players is never easy. I respect LT as
much or more than any player I've ever known.
"His legacy as one of the greatest running backs the game has ever
seen will be as a Charger," Spanos added.
Tomlinson said earlier this month he hoped to play somewhere in the
NFL during the 2010 season.
He owns or shares 28 San Diego records, including career rushing
yards and touchdowns.
Tomlinson won two NFL rushing titles (2006-2007), set a league
single-season record for touchdowns in a season (31 in 2006) and
rushed for 12,490 yards, the NFL's eighth-highest total. He was the
league's most valuable player in 2006 and earned Pro Bowl honors
five times.
But he had the least productive season of his career last season,
rushing for 730 yards on 223 carries.
He had restructured the final three years of his contract before
last season, taking a paycut. But he said earlier this month he
would not do that again.
"I'm not coming back," he told the San Diego Union Tribune. "I've
accepted it."
