Tomlinson working back to full strength

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Friday, Apr 18, 2008
By Casey Pearce, Chargers.com

The sprained knee LaDainian Tomlinson suffered in the AFC Championship Game has slowed down the pace of his offseason a bit, but he hasn’t let up on his knee rehabilitation or his golf game.

“I’m trying to play a little more,” Tomlinson said. “You can never play enough. Golf is a great sport. It’s hard, so I have my good days and my bad days.”

Tomlinson spent time with guests and friends Friday afternoon just before the shotgun start at his annual celebrity golf tournament. The event serves as the primary fundraiser for LT’s “Touching Lives Foundation.” Each year, LT provides scholarships for students through the “L.T. School is Cool Scholarship Program,” donates school supplies for kids in need and hosts youth football camps in both San Diego and his native Texas. The San Diego camp will take place Saturday at Hoover High School.

Tomlinson has largely taken it easy this offseason in attempt to rest his knee. He suffered a second-degree sprain of his Medial Collateral Ligament during the Chargers’ playoff run in January. The injury didn’t require surgery but did keep LT off his feet for a while. Tomlinson said that the joint is feeling much better than it did a few weeks ago.

“It’s doing good,” Tomlinson said, “making progress. It’s doing a lot better than I would have expected at this time. I’m working out full strength so by the season, I’ll be ready.”

While working with his personal trainer, Tomlinson is doing everything he normally would at this point in the offseason. He doesn’t quite feel like his old self yet but believes he’s getting close.

“It’s definitely not 100 percent, but the doctors said it wouldn’t be 100 percent at this time,” Tomlinson said. “The key is to be 100 percent the first week of the season. Right now I would say it’s in the 90 percentile, though.”

Tomlinson will be on the field for the Chargers’ minicamp the first weekend in May and he plans to attend the voluntary Offseason Coaching Sessions, which begin May 19.

“I should at least be able to participate and do some things,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t know how much or doing everything, but most of the stuff I should be able to do.

Tomlinson also said Friday that he’s considering making a change in his preseason routine. Last year, LT rushed for just 130 yards on 57 carries (2.28 yards per carry) in the Chargers’ first three games, and he thinks some August action might help him get off to a faster start this fall.

“It may be good for me to maybe play one preseason game,” Tomlinson said. “(Running backs coach) Ollie (Wilson) pointed out an interesting stat of me not playing in the preseason how I usually start off the season. Usually I start off kinda slow. Maybe that’s due of not playing in the preseason, maybe it’s not. Who knows? Maybe I might get a chance to run a little bit in the preseason.”

Wilson served as Tomlinson’s position coach during LT’s rookie year in 2001 and the reigning NFL rushing champion has enjoyed getting reacquainted with his old coach and friend.

“It’s great having him back,” Tomlinson said. “Ollie is someone that I’m very familiar with. I enjoy the relationship we have. Ollie is a person that is always going to shoot you straight. He wants to help you become the player that you want to be. That’s always his focus. He hasn’t won a championship and neither have I, so that’s the main goal.”

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