LaDainian Tomlinson Will Retire After Signing With Chargers, According To Report

After completing his two-year contract with the New York Jets and not receiving much free agent interest, future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson is saying goodbye to the NFL, according to a report.

Chargers will announce today that they're signing LaDainian Tomlinson, so he can retire a Charger.

— UTKevinAcee (@UTKevinAcee) June 17, 2012

Tomlinson wasn't asked to stay by Jets management after Joe McKnight emerged as capable of serving in the third-down role in which Tomlinson had largely been used in his time there.

He didn't help himself by fanning the flames of the locker-room blowup that seemed to derail the Jets' season and criticizing the decision-makers' handling of Mark Sanchez. He also went on record that the bounty scandal that has decimated the Saints organization and dominated offseason headlines is "part of the game," also an ill-advised move for a soon-to-be-33-year-old free agent running back with more mileage on his wheels than anyone else in the league.

So, it appears the storied career of Tomlinson is over. He finishes second on the all-time list in career rushing touchdowns with 145, fifth in rushing yards with 13,684 and fifth in attempts with 3,174. He also had 624 career receptions, behind only Marshall Faulk among tailbacks.