Arizona Cardinals' Kurt Warner (left) and Tim Hightower talk during football minicamp at the team's training facility in Tempe.
TEMPE – Kurt Warner says he’s ahead of schedule in his recovery from surgery to repair a hip injury that bothered him much of last season.
Not that anyone would have noticed at that time.
Despite the injury, Warner had one of the best seasons of his career and only got better in the playoffs, where he directed the Arizona Cardinals to victories over Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia before going down in a spirited 27-23 loss to Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.
Warner took part in Arizona’s minicamp over the weekend, but on a limited basis.
“I didn’t do everything,” he said after the Cardinals wrapped up the three-day camp on Sunday. “I probably could have done most things. We didn’t really push it as far as running and rolling out and doing that kind of stuff, because I really haven’t run at all. We were limited there just to be cautious.”
The 37-year-old quarterback underwent arthroscopic surgery on March 17 to repair a torn labrum and remove some loose fragments in his left hip. The operation, at the Steadman Hawkins Clinic in Vail, Colo., came two weeks after Warner signed a two-year, $23 million contract that included a $15 million signing bonus.
He said his recovery is ahead of schedule.
“I don’t think anybody expected me to do as much as I did this weekend besides myself,” he said, “so I guess from that standpoint I think we’re all happy where we’re at this stage in the offseason.”
Coach Ken Whisenhunt joked that Warner “moved around like we should run the ball about 40 times per game.”
But, seriously, Whisenhunt said Warner “did well, but it was only seven-on-seven and some individual (work).”
L.T. in good shape
SAN DIEGO – LaDainian Tomlinson was back where he wanted to be: Chargers Park.
Tomlinson, whose return to San Diego was in doubt before he restructured his contract in March, was smiling Sunday. He participated in all three days of the Chargers’ minicamp after a groin injury kept him from the team’s final playoff game last season.
“L.T. looks great,” coach Norv Turner said. “He has been out here running for a month, so he didn’t show anything different.”
Tomlinson didn’t show any signs of his latest injury. The NFL’s record holder for touchdowns in a season is pleased with his offseason preparations.
“It’s just good to get out and run around again,” Tomlinson said. “And be healthy.”
Tomlinson is about to turn 30, which is normally the age when running backs start to decline. And while Tomlinson had a career-low 1,110 yards rushing last season, that was still fourth best in the AFC.