Tomlinson 'graduates' to next chapter of his life

LaDainian Tomlinson invoked words from his late teammate Junior Seau when announcing his retirement on Monday.

Tomlinson signed a one-day deal with the San Diego Chargers where he spent nine of his 11 seasons, including being the league MVP in 2006.

"One thing I remember is when Junior Seau, when he retired, and he was up here, standing up, giving his speech. One thing that stood out to me is he said 'I'm graduating today.' And that's the way I look at it," Tomlinson said via NFL.com. "I've been playing football twenty-something years, and so at some point, it almost seems like school every year. Where you sacrifice so much, and there's so much that you put on the line -- mentally and physically, with your body, everything.

"And so today, I take the words of Junior Seau. I feel like I'm graduating. I really do, because I've got my life ahead of me. I'm healthy, I'm happy with a great family, and I'm excited to now be a fan and watch you guys play."

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Terry McCormick covers the Titans for TitanInsider.com