LaDainian Tomlinson had 38 votes from a nationwide panel of 50 sportswriters and broadcasters who cover the league. Next was Tomlinson’s former quarterback with the Chargers, the Saints’ Drew Brees with eight.
Quarterback Dan Fouts in 1983 was the only other Chargers player to win the award.
Tomlinson, the NFL's leading rusher with 1,815 yards, was named the NFL's most valuable player on Thursday, the first time a Charger as so been honored.
Tomlinson was sensation this year in setting the NFL touchdown mark at 31 and most points (186) in a season. He capped the most successful regular-season in Chargers history with his career-best, ninth-straight 100-yard rushing game.
Tomlinson, and the rest of the Chargers, have had somewhat of a light week as they await their playoff foe. As the AFC's No. 1 seed, the Chargers don't have to play this weekend and will have home-field advantage through the conference playoffs.
The Chargers aim for their first playoff win since 1995 against the winner of the Jets-Patriots game.
But all that can wait. Thursday was all about the most celebrated running back the Chargers have ever had.
"I would feel so much better about winning if we win the Super Bowl.,'' Tomlinson said. "It would feel like it would be everything."
Tomlinson, to no one's surprise, was also voted the Chargers' most valuable player in a vote of his teammates.
Tomlinson said the MVP won't change his legacy.
"Championships do that, too,'' he said. "I think the next step in your career when you win an individual award like this, championships too are where I think you grow the most and become in that elite class. MVP, you can't take anything away from it. It's a great award to win. So many great guys have won it. I think the thing that goes along with it is a world championship."