Former Chargers running back Lionel James dies at age 59

Lionel James (Google Images)

According to the Associated Press, former San Diego Chargers running back Lionel James of Albany, Georgia passed away on Friday at the age of 59 of an undisclosed illness. James, who was nicknamed “Little Train,” was known for making the National Football League even though he was 5’6″.

James is best known for his 1985 NFL season. In addition to leading the NFL in scrimmage yards per touch (8.1), he set the NFL records at the time for most receiving yards by a running back (1027), and most all-purpose yards in a season with 2535 (1027 yards receiving, 516 yards rushing, 779 yards on kickoff returns, and 213 yards on punt returns).

James’s record for most receiving yards in a season by a running back has since been broken by Marshall Faulk of the St. Louis Rams, who had 1048 yards in 1999. (Faulk was the second player in NFL history to have over 1000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season in 1999.)  Some sources have former Los Angeles Rams running back Del Shofner as the all-time leader in receiving yards by a running back as he had 1097 receiving yards in 1958, but he could be considered more of a flanker at the time than a running back.

James now ranks fourth all-time in most all-purpose yards in a season. He is behind Darren Sproles of the New Orleans Saints (2696 in 2011), Derrick Mason of the Tennessee Titans (2690 in 2000) and Michael Lewis of the Saints (2647 in 2002).

In his five years with the Chargers, James had 231 rushes for 1062 yards, and four rushing touchdowns, 209 catches for 2278 yards, and 10 receiving touchdowns, 124 punt returns for 1193 yards and two touchdowns, and 99 kickoff returns for 2094 kickoff return yards. Also on special teams, James led the NFL during the 1984 season for most kickoff return yards (959).

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