Having spent his entire nine-year NFL career with San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson likely had forgotten what it was like to be courted by another team. That changed Wednesday when the running back began his free-agent visit with the Vikings.
"It's like recruiting all over again, like going from high school to college," Tomlinson said. "You just kind of have to get a feel and see where you fit in at and see how it goes."
After spending much of Thursday listening to the Vikings make their pitch at Winter Park, Tomlinson decided he wanted to hear what at least one other team had to say. Just after 5 p.m., Tomlinson, holding a purple Vikings jersey that might end up being nothing more than a souvenir of his trip, got into a waiting limousine outside the team's Eden Prairie facility and departed.
His next stop is scheduled for Friday in New York, where he will meet with the Jets.
"He had a good visit here," Vikings coach Brad Childress said in a text message. "He promised the Jets he'd get on the plane. He's a man of his word."
Tomlinson, who was released by the Chargers last month, told Sports Illustrated's Jim Trotter that although he has tentative visits scheduled elsewhere next week -- reportedly with Philadelphia and New Orleans -- he might make up his mind on a team this weekend. The NFL's MVP in 2006 also admitted he was "really wowed" by the Vikings and "could see himself playing" in Minnesota.
Tomlinson said Wednesday that he would have no issue serving as Adrian Peterson's backup and added that he was not averse to moving into the third-down role that Chester Taylor held before signing with Chicago.
Tomlinson even talked about how he could help Peterson, who will be entering his fourth season. "I think as far as learning how to be a professional on and off the field," said Tomlinson, who will turn 31 in June.