When I spoke to LaDainian Tomlinson last summer, he was in a relaxed mood. We chatted off–topic about cars
and cooks, but when I moved the conversation to the subject of record–chasing, he wasn't eager to go there.
But he humored me. When I asked about Emmitt Smith's rushing record, he said that he tried not to think about it,
that it could be a distraction. When I asked him if he wanted to play as long as Smith, he offered an emphatic 'no':
"Emmett played, what? fifteen, sixteen years? I don't want to play that long. That’s too long."
While Tomlinson didn't do a 180 turn during the recent contract discussions with the Chargers, there's been an
evident course adjustment. Where once he told everyone that Smith's record wasn't his goal, observe his answer
to a recent gathering of journalists:
"Before, I never really thought about [the record], but the closer I get to it... I don't want to finish
up and say 'Why didn't I try to get it'?"
Some simple math is enlightening. Here's the cumulative difference, year–on–year, between Smith's
yardage and LT's:
After 1 year: LT +299
After 2 years: LT +419
After 3 years: LT +348
After 4 years: LT +197
After 5 years: LT +175
After 6 years: LT +217
After 7 years: LT +487
After 8 years: LT +523
For one thing, LaDainian continues to out–pace Smith. And over the past three years — when some
people have been questioning whether LT is slowing down — he's actually been pulling away from Smith.
Year eight wasn't great for LT with a career low 1110 yards, but Smith himself had one of his poorest seasons
in his own year eight, with only 1074. Thereafter, Smith added 7121 yards to his career tally.
And it's what remains of Tomlinson's career which has been the debate. For San Diego, it's been a matter of
evaluating how much LT has left in the tank as he approaches 30. In the past Tomlinson has hinted that he wouldn't
want to play beyond 2011, and such talk might have been working against him this past year, contributing to the
sense of a player entering the final chapter of his career.
Tomlinson's acceptance of this challenge to chase the record is more than a change of heart, it is a fight back
against that sense of slowdown.
If LT is to go after Smith's record, Tomlinson is looking at 5 more years in the NFL at least, and most importantly,
five more years as the workhorse starter at a time when the NFL trend is towards shared carries. It isn't so much that
LT himself needs to focus on the record; what he needs is for everybody else to get focused on it, to mentally
re–invest in him as the franchise back. That's why LT is more willing to discuss the longevity issue. It
isn't just a matter of yardage, it's a matter of money.
Discussions of Tomlinson's tenure at the Chargers may have less to do with yardage than TDs. In the pass–happy
NFL, it is the threat of the run that is all–important, to keep defenses honest. While his rushing average was
down from 5.2 to 3.8 yards a pop over the past three years, LTs production slid most in touchdowns, from a record 28
to a mere 11 last season.
LaDainian's pursuit of Emmitt's record will, for 2009 at least, be as much about the pursuit of the endzone.
