Tomlinson: ‘I’m not coming back … I’ve accepted it’

LaDainian Tomlinson told The San Diego Union-Tribune on Thursday what most people have speculated for months: He will not be a Charger next season.

“I’m not coming back,” said Tomlinson, who added that he believes the Chargers will release him. “… I’ve accepted it.”

Tomlinson is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher, but he just finished the least productive season of his nine-year NFL career (730 yards on 223 carries). Last offseason, he agreed to restructure the final three years of his contract and take a pay cut, but he told a San Diego radio station Monday that he won’t do that again.

Tomlinson said Thursday that leaving San Diego will bring “mixed emotions.”

“I’ve spent nine years of my life here, pretty much my youth,” he said. “I gave the organization everything I have. I enjoyed the community. But there is a part I won’t miss. The football part is fun. But the business part sucks. I won’t miss that.”

Tomlinson told The Union-Tribune that he might have his agent call the Chargers to speed up what he believes to be his inevitable release.

Tomlinson joined the Chargers in 2001 as a first-round draft pick out of TCU and has made five Pro Bowls in his nine NFL seasons. He ranks eighth on the league’s career rushing yards with 12,490 yards.

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