National Football League rushing champion LaDainian Tomlinson remained upset by New England's post-game victory celebration after ousting San Diego from the playoffs. The Patriots, seeking their fourth Super Bowl title in the past six years, edged the Chargers 24-21 with help from four San Diego turnovers and a missed 54-yard field goal on the final play of an emotional game.
Several New England players hurled their helmets into the air and danced on the middle of the field in celebration, incurring a meaningless 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct and the wrath of San Diego star rusher Tomlinson.
"I would never, ever react in that way," Tomlinson said. "I'm a very classy person and I would not have reacted like that. I was very upset."
Tomlinson refused to shake hands with several of the Patriots after the game and was restrained when rushing toward several New England players after the game after a mocking imitation of Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman's victory dance.
"When you go to the middle of our field and you start doing the dance that Shawne Merriman is known for, that's disrespectful. It showed no class at all and maybe that comes from their coach," Tomlinson said.
"I wasn't going to go do anything, just tell the guys not to disrespect us on our own field. When you start to further disrespect us, that's just not how you react."
New England coach Bill Belichick, 13-2 in the playoffs entering Sunday's semi-final at Indianapolis, has made the Patriots into a dynasty but it was Pittsburgh which won last season's Super Bowl crown.
Tomlinson, who ran for 123 yards and two touchdowns in a losing cause, had little sympathy.
"Just disappointment, that's the initial thought," Tomlinson said. "When you are a three-time Super Bowl champion I wouldn't think you would need to act that way. That was the way they reacted to it. We can't do anything about it."
Tomlinson set a one-season NFL record with 31 touchdowns and won the NFL rushing crown with 1,815 yards. But he will not play for a championship.
"We're going to be back," Tomlinson vowed. "This was disappointing but I believe next season we will be one of the teams competing for that Super Bowl spot."
