http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/jets/2011...emplates-retire
IRVING, Tex. – Two weeks after the Jets’ Super Bowl-or-bust season came to a premature end, LaDainian Tomlinson admitted that he’s willing to take on a reduced role in 2011 to help his team reach the promised land. However, the future Hall of Famer also said last night that he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of retirement if he remains in limbo for an extended period of time.
Tomlinson has one year remaining on his two-year contract, but the Jets haven’t definitively told him whether he’ll be back or not.
“Part of it really does suck,” Tomlinson told me in a quiet moment during his “Project 21” fundraiser for his charitable foundation last night (more on that below). “It really does for me. To be in limbo… sometimes, I just want to say, ‘You know what? I’m just going to retire.’”
“It’s kind of a messed up feeling to be in,” he added about being in limbo. “Because I feel like we had a great season. Things went well. But here there’s questions about whether I’m going to come back (with the one) year that I have left (on my contract). So who knows.”
General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said last week that “we expect him back,” but added that “these things could change.”
“I expect him to contribute for another year,” Tannenbaum said.
Tomlinson rushed for a team-high 914 yards and 51 receptions in his first year with his new team. He was invaluable to Mark Sanchez’s growth in his second year as a valuable pass-catching threat. Beyond that, the mild-mannered Tomlinson became an inspirational leader for the chattiest team in sports.
In the twilight of his career, Tomlinson, who’s scheduled to earn $2.4 million in 2011, simply wants his role to be clearly defined. He told me that he doesn’t have to be the starter anymore.
The 31-year-old Tomlinson turned into the de facto starter thanks to a red-hot start in the first month and a half of the season. Now, he’s willing to play in a reduced capacity alongside Shonn Greene. The organization also believes that Joe McKnight will play a more significant role.
“That’s something that really needs to be decided,” Tomlinson said of outlining his specific duties in 2011. “I don’t want to be there and just be this guy that’s just on the bench. I think that reduction would have to be defined. I always want them to be up front with me. I think I deserve that much.”
“Usually teams already have their minds made up of how they want things to go,” Tomlinson said. “So, for me, I just want to do the best that I can and not really say that I want to be the starter. Because that’s not what it’s about for me. I’m just going to be the best that I can be. Whatever role that might be.”
He believes the team can thrive with a three-headed attack out of the backfield alongside Greene and McKnight.
“We absolutely can make it work,” Tomlinson said. “I think it would work great, to be honest with you. Because all of us bring something a little bit different.”
Tomlinson, who will turn 32 this summer, admitted that the league’s labor uncertainty won’t affect his decision whether to continue to play or retire. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on March 4.
“Even if there’s a lockout, I’ll continue to train and keep myself in good shape to be ready whenever the time comes,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t think that has anything to do with my decision. My decision will come on the basis of me feeling like if I’m really needed.”
Tomlinson’s growing family will also help determine his ultimate decision. Tomlinson became a father for the first time last offseason with the birth of his son, Daylen Oliver. His wife, Torsha, is pregnant and expecting their second child later this summer.
Tomlinson is hopeful that the team will let him know about their plans for him before the league year ends.
“I think that would be the best thing to do,” Tomlinson said. “I just really think it would be. Maybe they feel like it’s not the time and we still got some decisions to make. I understand that. But I would want somebody to come let me know at least what they’re thinking and the situation.”
With a second child on the way, Tomlinson told me that he likely won’t look to play for another team if the Jets cut ties with him. (Of course, the former TCU star is a native of Texas and spends all his offseasons here. So, the Cowboys would be an intriguing option.).
Or he may just retire.
“Jim Brown said, ‘You can love the game as much as you want. The game loves no one,’” Tomlinson said. “It loves no one. People don’t care about us a lot of times playing football. This is a business. I’m in the mindset of Jim (and) Barry Sanders. I get fed up with that business stuff.”
“You know,” he added with a laugh. “I’ll take my ball and go home.”
****
A few other highlights:
Tomlinson said he was at his normal depth – 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage – when he was stopped on a critical fourth down from the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of the AFC title game. He also said that his plan all along was to leap over the pile, but the Steelers were too upright for him to leap.
“I was right at my depth – 6 (yards),” Tomlinson said. “That’s right where we want to be. There were two different people in the hole… and T-Rich had to block one of them. Everything kind of just got stood up. So they expected me to jump. If you look at it, they never got low to give me the over the top. Everybody was just standing up. I was thinking, ‘If there’s a pile, I’m jumping over.’”
***
Mark Sanchez’s headset malfunction during that series near the goal line apparently wasn’t the only time the Jets quarterback was having trouble with the communication system in Pittsburgh.
“He had a headset problem the whole game,” Tomlinson said. “He kept running to the sideline trying to get the play. He kept saying, ‘I’m not getting the play.’ He had to run and get the play and run back… It was a big problem.”
***
Tomlinson’s “Project 21” program to fight childhood obesity and its impact on the quality of education hits home for him. His grandmother suffered from diabetes which led to health problems. Several women in his extended family suffer the same health concerns. So, the former NFL Man of the Year decided to start this initiative as part of the Tomlinson’s Touching Lives Foundation. The program has partnered with the Cooper Institute. Tomlinson plans to visit schools in Texas to talk to students and parents about the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity.
Tomlinson and his wife, Torsha, created the foundation years ago to help kids stay on the right track. For more information, go to www.tomlinsontouchinglives.com or contact Cliff Dean at 972 213 6343 or
cdean@tomlinsonstouchinglives.com.
IRVING, Tex. – Two weeks after the Jets’ Super Bowl-or-bust season came to a premature end, LaDainian Tomlinson admitted that he’s willing to take on a reduced role in 2011 to help his team reach the promised land. However, the future Hall of Famer also said last night that he hasn’t ruled out the possibility of retirement if he remains in limbo for an extended period of time.
Tomlinson has one year remaining on his two-year contract, but the Jets haven’t definitively told him whether he’ll be back or not.
“Part of it really does suck,” Tomlinson told me in a quiet moment during his “Project 21” fundraiser for his charitable foundation last night (more on that below). “It really does for me. To be in limbo… sometimes, I just want to say, ‘You know what? I’m just going to retire.’”
“It’s kind of a messed up feeling to be in,” he added about being in limbo. “Because I feel like we had a great season. Things went well. But here there’s questions about whether I’m going to come back (with the one) year that I have left (on my contract). So who knows.”
General Manager Mike Tannenbaum said last week that “we expect him back,” but added that “these things could change.”
“I expect him to contribute for another year,” Tannenbaum said.
Tomlinson rushed for a team-high 914 yards and 51 receptions in his first year with his new team. He was invaluable to Mark Sanchez’s growth in his second year as a valuable pass-catching threat. Beyond that, the mild-mannered Tomlinson became an inspirational leader for the chattiest team in sports.
In the twilight of his career, Tomlinson, who’s scheduled to earn $2.4 million in 2011, simply wants his role to be clearly defined. He told me that he doesn’t have to be the starter anymore.
The 31-year-old Tomlinson turned into the de facto starter thanks to a red-hot start in the first month and a half of the season. Now, he’s willing to play in a reduced capacity alongside Shonn Greene. The organization also believes that Joe McKnight will play a more significant role.
“That’s something that really needs to be decided,” Tomlinson said of outlining his specific duties in 2011. “I don’t want to be there and just be this guy that’s just on the bench. I think that reduction would have to be defined. I always want them to be up front with me. I think I deserve that much.”
“Usually teams already have their minds made up of how they want things to go,” Tomlinson said. “So, for me, I just want to do the best that I can and not really say that I want to be the starter. Because that’s not what it’s about for me. I’m just going to be the best that I can be. Whatever role that might be.”
He believes the team can thrive with a three-headed attack out of the backfield alongside Greene and McKnight.
“We absolutely can make it work,” Tomlinson said. “I think it would work great, to be honest with you. Because all of us bring something a little bit different.”
Tomlinson, who will turn 32 this summer, admitted that the league’s labor uncertainty won’t affect his decision whether to continue to play or retire. The current collective bargaining agreement expires on March 4.
“Even if there’s a lockout, I’ll continue to train and keep myself in good shape to be ready whenever the time comes,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t think that has anything to do with my decision. My decision will come on the basis of me feeling like if I’m really needed.”
Tomlinson’s growing family will also help determine his ultimate decision. Tomlinson became a father for the first time last offseason with the birth of his son, Daylen Oliver. His wife, Torsha, is pregnant and expecting their second child later this summer.
Tomlinson is hopeful that the team will let him know about their plans for him before the league year ends.
“I think that would be the best thing to do,” Tomlinson said. “I just really think it would be. Maybe they feel like it’s not the time and we still got some decisions to make. I understand that. But I would want somebody to come let me know at least what they’re thinking and the situation.”
With a second child on the way, Tomlinson told me that he likely won’t look to play for another team if the Jets cut ties with him. (Of course, the former TCU star is a native of Texas and spends all his offseasons here. So, the Cowboys would be an intriguing option.).
Or he may just retire.
“Jim Brown said, ‘You can love the game as much as you want. The game loves no one,’” Tomlinson said. “It loves no one. People don’t care about us a lot of times playing football. This is a business. I’m in the mindset of Jim (and) Barry Sanders. I get fed up with that business stuff.”
“You know,” he added with a laugh. “I’ll take my ball and go home.”
****
A few other highlights:
Tomlinson said he was at his normal depth – 6 yards behind the line of scrimmage – when he was stopped on a critical fourth down from the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of the AFC title game. He also said that his plan all along was to leap over the pile, but the Steelers were too upright for him to leap.
“I was right at my depth – 6 (yards),” Tomlinson said. “That’s right where we want to be. There were two different people in the hole… and T-Rich had to block one of them. Everything kind of just got stood up. So they expected me to jump. If you look at it, they never got low to give me the over the top. Everybody was just standing up. I was thinking, ‘If there’s a pile, I’m jumping over.’”
***
Mark Sanchez’s headset malfunction during that series near the goal line apparently wasn’t the only time the Jets quarterback was having trouble with the communication system in Pittsburgh.
“He had a headset problem the whole game,” Tomlinson said. “He kept running to the sideline trying to get the play. He kept saying, ‘I’m not getting the play.’ He had to run and get the play and run back… It was a big problem.”
***
Tomlinson’s “Project 21” program to fight childhood obesity and its impact on the quality of education hits home for him. His grandmother suffered from diabetes which led to health problems. Several women in his extended family suffer the same health concerns. So, the former NFL Man of the Year decided to start this initiative as part of the Tomlinson’s Touching Lives Foundation. The program has partnered with the Cooper Institute. Tomlinson plans to visit schools in Texas to talk to students and parents about the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity.
Tomlinson and his wife, Torsha, created the foundation years ago to help kids stay on the right track. For more information, go to www.tomlinsontouchinglives.com or contact Cliff Dean at 972 213 6343 or
cdean@tomlinsonstouchinglives.com.
