Getty Tre Tomlinson during the 2023 NFL Combine.
Saturday, August 12 wasn’t just the battle of L.A. between the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers at SoFi Stadium. It additionally was the battle of past Texas Christian Horned Frogs.
Tre Tomlinson, Quentin Johnston, Derius Davis and Max Duggan all reunited for the first time since their College Football Playoff National Title contest at the same venue. But this time, TCU scored the win…but it was the Horned Frog reps on the Chargers who were victorious 34-17. Johnston and Davis themselves grabbed the phone to let them who won.
tcu boys went off tonight
But how did Tomlinson react to watching his teammates win?
“Playing against the ones u love yesterday was by far one of the most craziest things I’ve experienced! It’s life though but overall I’m just happy to see my brothers doing good!! Go Grogs!!” Tomlinson said on Twitter in giving praise to his TCU teammates.
Playing against the ones u love yesterday was by far one of the most craziest things I’ve experienced! It’s life tho but overall I’m just happy to see my brothers doing good!! Go Grogs!! 💜🐸
Tomlinson Delivered Highlight Worthy Night in Debut
Tomlinson entered his new home domain as one of the more scrutinized players of this preseason contest. All due to putting together a stellar collegiate career as the reigning Jim Thorpe Award winner — honoring the nation’s best defensive back.
There were skeptics about if Tomlinson had the size to match wits with taller and more physical wide receivers in the league with his size being below 5-foot-9. The Chargers — even while resting veteran Pro Bowler Keenan Allen and fellow vet Mike Williams — still brought plenty of size to the field. And that included Tomlinson’s teammate Johnston who is a towering 6-foot-4.
But, using the same aggression and scrapper attitude that made him revered in Fort Worth, Tomlinson brought those elements over to his former teammate on this pass:
.@TreTomlinson lockin’ down his former @TCUFootball teammate! 🔒
📺 @ABC7 + the Rams app
But there was more from Tomlinson. He never lost ground in getting involved in a foot race with his taller teammate on this bomb attempt and forced the incompletion.
Rams rookie CB Tre Tomlinson with some pretty nice coverage on the vertical route from Chargers rookie WR Quentin Johnston. Tomlinson made it too tough a catch for Johnston.
Fun rep between two former TCU stars turned LA rivals.
And on the night, Tomlinson only surrendered one catch his side for five yards.
Sean McVay Reacts to Tomlinson’s Night
Head coach Sean McVay wasn’t surprised to see how well his late round rookie find fared in his first NFL action.
“Exactly what you said. Some of the stuff that made him a Thorpe Award winner, the competitiveness. He’s a tough competitor that doesn’t have any fear and he’s not afraid to get up and challenge guys,” McVay said postgame when asked about Tomlinson’s competitive nature.
McVay also praised how Tomlinson handled himself when facing taller wide receivers and when tested deep.
“[I] thought he did a good job in a couple of those situations too of being able to get his eyes back, play the ball true, and had a nice breakup against his former teammate down that sideline on the Chargers side,” McVay said. “He’s just got a nice swagger about himself. I was happy for Tre making a couple of those plays tonight.”
Tomlinson may have lost to his TCU teammates, but he certainly won over the “Rams House” with giving an early taste of what’s to come in his role with the defense. And he set the tone for his career by matching up with a taller Ex-teammate of his.