LaDainian Tomlinson sticks up for Johnny Manziel
NFL Network analyst LaDainian Tomlinson joined the show to talk about the upcoming season and the new NFL Films “A Football Life” about him.
Tomlinson talked about looking into his family history for “A Football Life” and how Emmitt Smith helped him when he was young. He said that he didn’t think he could make the pros because no one around him had ever done anything like that: “When I met Emmitt Smith … being able to touch him and no that he’s real not just some superhero that I watched on Sundays, it gave me confidence.”
Tomlinson talked about the phasing out of running backs in the League. He said guys in college aren’t getting the ball 20 times any more. Tomlinson said that running backs are moving to wide receiver. “But there will be some guys that will come along that will be impact running backs,’ Tomlinson said.
Tomlinson said it is possible Adrian Peterson could catch Smith’s all-time record, in part because he can recover from injuries so quickly. But he doesn’t think that he can get 2,500 yards in a season because he won’t get enough carries.
Tomlinson looked back at the 2003 season when he rushed for 1,645 yards and caught 100 passes. “Didn’t make the Pro Bowl,” was Tomlinson’s first comment. Turns out Jamal Leiws, Priest Holmes and Clinton Portis made it over him.
Tomlinson stood up for Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. “People need to realize he’s just a kid,” Tomlinson. “Right now he’s having fun. he’s fitting in [with] the guys in his locker room. And we’re over-blowing it. … i really don’t have a problem with it.”