New York (AP)— LaDainian Tomlinson is bolting for the Big Apple.
Tomlinson’s agent, Tom Condon, said Sunday that the New York Jets signed the
former Chargers running back to a two-year contract. The Jets confirmed
that
they have agreed to a deal, adding the aging star to the NFL’s
top-ranked
rushing offense last season.
“He wanted to go to a team that he thought had a chance to compete
for the
championship,” Condon told The Associated Press in a telephone
interview. “He
wanted to go somewhere where he had a chance to have a significant role,
and so
with the Jets he also was going to be very familiar with the offensive
system.”
The Jets reached the AFC championship game last season, eliminating
Tomlinson and the Chargers along the way.
The 2006 NFL MVP, cut last month by San Diego, chose New York over
Minnesota
after visiting the Vikings on Thursday. Tomlinson spent Friday with the
Jets,
capping it with dinner with coach Rex Ryan, general manager Mike
Tannenbaum and
other team officials.
The Jets went after Tomlinson hard even though he turns 31 in June,
is
coming off his least productive season and there are questions whether
he has
much left. New York apparently still saw plenty to like from Tomlinson,
who
ranks eighth on the NFL’s career rushing list with 12,490 yards, and
gave him a
deal worth about $5.2 million.