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San Diego, California - The San Diego Chargers have voted and Pro Bowl running back LaDainian Tomlinson has been chosen as the Chargers’ Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year. It is his fifth MVP and Offensive Player of the Year award.

 

Tomlinson won his second-consecutive NFL rushing title with 1,474 yards and finished the season with a league-high 15 rushing touchdowns. He closed out the 2007 season scoring his 129th career touchdown and ranks seventh on the NFL’s all-time touchdowns list behind Dallas’ Terrell Owens (131) and Cris Carter (131).

 

The offensive player of the year receives the Rodney Culver Memorial Award in honor of the late running back who died along with his wife, Karen, in the 1996 ValuJet plane crash in the Florida Everglades.

 

Pro Bowl cornerback Antonio Cromartie was selected Defensive Player of the Year. Cromartie became the first-ever Charger to win the NFL’s interceptions title (10). He recorded all 10 picks in a nine-game stretch. He became only the second defensive player in team history to score two return touchdowns in the same game.  He set an NFL record with a 109-yard return of a missed goal against Minnesota. The Defensive Player of the Year receives the David Griggs Memorial Award in honor of the former outside linebacker who was killed in a single-car accident in June, 2005 in Davie, Florida.

 

Pro Bowl guard Kris Dielman was selected Lineman of the Year for the second time. Dielman is part of one of the toughest offensive lines in the league, surrendering only 24 sacks while opening holes for the team’s running backs.

 

The Special Teams Player of the Year is Pro Bowl wide receiver Kassim Osgood. Osgood, who was voted to the Pro Bowl for the second time in his career, had 12 stops on special teams despite facing constant double teams. It’s his third-consecutive award.

 

Quarterback Philip Rivers received Most Inspirational Player Award along with linebacker Carlos Polk. Rivers finished the regular season with 21 touchdowns and 3,152 yards. Rivers completed 133 of 214 (.621) for 1,656 yards with 14 touchdowns and only five interceptions for a rating of 98.2 during an eight-game winning streak. River’s career passing rating in the regular season (86.6) is the highest in team history (min. 500 pass attempts). The Chargers passing game came to life in the postseason behind the arm of Rivers. Rivers played with knee injuries throughout the season, including a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the Divisional Playoff Round.

 

Rivers shares Most Inspirational Player Award honors with Polk. The seven-year veteran recorded 14 defensive tackles, two forced fumbles and 11 special team stops before he was injured in Week 11. The most inspirational player receives the Emil Karas Memorial Award, in honor of the former three-time AFL all-star linebacker who died of stomach cancer after his retirement from the NFL in 1974.