No. 21 Is Done In San Diego: Chargers Release LT

No. 21 Is Done In San Diego: Chargers Release LT, SAN DIEGO (AP)—The slashing, dazzling runs came less frequently. The yards didn’t pile up as easily as in previous seasons. LaDainian Tomlinson(notes) 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. The move had been expected for some time. Tomlinson, one of the most beloved athletes in San Diego sports history, got the word in a meeting with team president Dean Spanos.

“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,” 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.”