When the Chargers signed safety Bob Sanders before the 2011 season it sparked a bit of a controversy.
Sanders had established himself as a star with the Colts. A 2-time All-Pro, the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year and a Super Bowl champion, Sanders was certainly a well-known name. The problem was, in Indianapolis he wore the number 21.
With a resume like his, Sanders had every right to ask to wear 21 with the Bolts. It was available at the time. But instead Sanders chose to go with the number 31. During training camp he was asked why he did not wear number 21 in San Diego. His answer was what Chargers fans hoped it would be:
"I know what that number means here."
Sanders knew because he spent a few Sundays trying to run down a man named LaDainian Tomlinson. L.T. was with the Jets at the time but still, nobody who came to Mission Valley wanted anything to do with following that performance.
So #21 was retired before it was really retired, but on Sunday it will become official. At halftime of their game against the Kansas City Chiefs the Chargers will hang L.T.'s digits from the top of Qualcomm Stadium next to those of Lance Alworth, Dan Fouts and Junior Seau, the only other players to have their numbers retired by the franchise.
Tomlinson owns 15 Chargers records (16 if you count most smiles). Yet this honor is something he sees as being greater than just the on-field accomplishments.
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"To me, in order to get your number retired, it goes beyond the football field," said Tomlinson. "There's more to just being a football player. There's more than just scoring touchdowns. I think it's more about, also, the impact you have others around you. This says I made a big impact on this organization as a whole and I'm proud of that."
Much like the community of San Diego is proud to have called him one of our own. L.T.'s former teammates shared thoughts on the Chargers great, as well, which you can watch here:
We could go on for days taking about our favorite L.T. memories, there are so many to choose from. So, we want to know yours. Feel free to share in the comments the L.T. moment that stands out most to you.
After all, it's the Chargers fans and the city of San Diego who turned LaDainian Tomlinson in to the player and that man that he became.
"I lived in this community for nine years," said Tomlinson. "I got to know the people very well. I was out in the community a lot. I'm from Texas, born and raised, but this is my professional home. I became a man in this city and a lot of it is because of the community and the things we did in the community, and the support that we got from the community as well."
I think I speak for the vast majority of Chargers fans when I say this:
Congratulations, L.T. Thank you for the memories and enjoy the honor you so richly deserve.
