SAN DIEGO -- The slashing, dazzling runs came less frequently. The yards didn't pile up as easily as in previous seasons.

LaDainian Tomlinson was slowing down because of injuries and age, becoming less and less the face of the franchise as his role was reduced in a pass-happy offense.

On Monday, he was released by the San Diego Chargers, a franchise he helped revive with a brilliant nine-year run in which he became one of the NFL's greatest running backs.

At age 30 and with declining numbers, Tomlinson has been anticipating his release for the past month.

"It was a long time coming, but I knew it was coming," Tomlinson said, according to SI.com. "Now that it's official I can kind of look to the next step in my career and playing football for someone else."

Tomlinson ranks eighth on the all-time rushing list with 12,490 yards. His 138 career rushing touchdowns rank second, and his 153 total touchdowns rank third.

He was the NFL's MVP in 2006, when he set single-season records with 31 touchdowns and 186 points. Tomlinson won the NFL's rushing title in 2006 and '07.

"I told him that in the 26 years that I've been in this

business, it was probably the hardest thing I've had to do," team

president Dean Spanos told The Associated Press. "I'm not close to

a lot of the players, but there's a handful that I've been close

with, and he's probably the closest. It was really difficult to

tell him. But out of respect, I wanted to tell him earlier rather

than later."

General manager A.J. Smith called it "a tough day, a sad day for everybody in the organization. But it's always tough to part ways with great players who helped you win games. It's not a pleasant day, but we're working through it."

"He was one of the greatest players and people that I've ever had a chance to be around and he will be missed," outside linebacker Shawne Merriman said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.

Tomlinson, who turned 30 last summer, was injured early in the 2009 season and finished with 730 yards on 223 carries for an average of 3.3 yards per carry, all career lows.