The man who powered the franchise’s greatest stretch of seasons invites you to set aside the Chargers’ current woes for a few minutes Sunday afternoon.

“I want people to try to reminisce for a second with me,” LaDainian Tomlinson said this week. “Let’s not think about what is going to happen or what could happen. Let’s just reminisce together about the great moments we had.”

Yes, please. Thank you, L.T. Again.

In a way that pushes the bounds of irony, there might be no better time for Tomlinson’s number to be retired.


Halftime of Sunday’s game between the Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs will provide a respite in the midst of this season of defeat and despair and visiting fans taking over Qualcomm Stadium.

Remember when the ‘Q’ would shake and you would scream and visitors most often left having been beaten, as often as not because they were run through by No. 21?

Of course you do. It was what being a fan was all about. If you remain in love with the Chargers — or are at least fighting to keep the spark alive — there is a good chance that affection stems from or was deepened by watching Tomlinson.

The man whose initials we chanted time and again certainly remembers. Fondly.


“Just how special it was during that time,” he said. “When I think about it, without question the organization and the feeling around San Diego was at one of its highest points. We had a lot of success. We won division titles, back-to-back. We beat the Raiders, I think we went six years they didn’t even beat us. Stuff like that was special moments. Going to the stadium and seeing all the fans and all the 21 jerseys. Man, that’s what I want to say thank you for. They made that place special.”

He helped. It wasn’t just that L.T. so often seemed to carry the Chargers. Sometimes, he lifted the entire place on his shoulders as he ran to the end zone.

He scored 77 touchdowns in Qualcomm Stadium. From 2001 to 2009, his time with the Chargers, no NFL running back came close to matching his production.

His 12,490 yards were almost 2,800 more than the next-closest rusher. His 2,880 carries were some 600 more than anyone else. He scored 43 more touchdowns than anyone else between ’01 and ’09 and had 70 more runs of at least 10 yards.


He was lightning in an indefatigable bottle. Tomlinson did not miss a single game to injury until his final season in San Diego. Between 2006 and ’08, he went 987 touches without a fumble. Only Barry Sanders (10) had more consecutive seasons with 1,100-plus rushing yards than Tomlinson’s eight.

There is no small correlation between those numbers and the Chargers winning five AFC West titles during what could be considered Tomlinson’s prime — from 2004 to 2009. The team also sold out 48 consecutive games and went 37-11 at home in that span.

“It really flies,” said Tomlinson, whose 145 career rushing touchdowns are second-most ever scored in the NFL and will undoubtedly land him in the Pro Football Hall of Fame when he is first eligible in 2017. “It seems like yesterday I was there. I really was special.”

Indeed.


Realizing how uncommon is the mix of character and talent possessed and expressed by Tomlinson has helped me properly cherish Philip Rivers.

I speak to L.T. a few times a year since he retired. In almost every instance, I make some mention of how profoundly he is missed. I can’t help it. He is, so much. I’ve confessed to him that while I appreciated what I was watching when I was watching him week after week, I didn’t fully grasp his greatness until he was gone. Y’know, you probably didn’t, either.

Today, we all get a chance to show him and share with him that we remember and we are grateful.

kevin.acee@sduniontribune.com