LaDainian Tomlinson enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame this August. While he never played for the Buffalo Bills, there is still an interesting side note in Tomlinson’s career associated with the team. Tomlinson is the first player inducted whose entire journey to Canton is encompassed by the Bills’ playoff drought.
Tomlinson was drafted in 2001, following Buffalo’s first playoff-less season in 2000. After being the fifth overall pick, he played 170 games over eleven seasons and was elected on his first ballot to the Hall of Fame. His teams made the playoffs five times.
The former San Diego Chargers and New York Jets running back played against Buffalo seven times in his career, accumulating 623 yards on 129 attempts and seven touchdowns on the ground.
Other notable players who could join Tomlinson in 2018 if the Bills don’t make the playoffs are Brian Urlacher (2000 draft) and Steve Hutchinson (2001) who are eligible for the first time in 2018.