MKRob Sports

After seven NFL seasons — and 749 tackles — David Thornton’s body has some scars to show for his work.

Yet at the age of 30, the Titans linebacker said, he still feels good — for the most part.

“I’ve held up pretty well,” Thornton said with a smile. “But the game definitely takes a toll on you. That’s the nature of the game and the position. The key is to keep preparing yourself for what’s ahead.”

The player some describe as a “workout warrior” added something to his workout regimen this offseason, something he hopes will pay off this fall and beyond: swimming, and plenty of it.

Maybe you’ve seen him at the local YMCA, where he hired a swim coach. While Thornton still is hitting the weights and working in the Titans offseason program, he wanted a wrinkle to supplement his other workouts. His time in the pool seems to be paying off already.

“Part of the reason is the game is always changing. There are certain things you can do to preserve your body and different ways to do it. You have to look for new, innovative ways to improve your flexibility,” he said. “In my case, it’s not like a veteran said, ‘Hey, you should try this.’ It wasn’t something that was recommended. It was just me thinking, ‘Hey, swimmers have strong shoulders and it’s not the pounding, so why not try it?’

“I can already tell my conditioning has improved from the extra cardio, and it helps with my breathing on the field.”

Thornton, who racked up 93 tackles in 15 games last season, has started 91 of 95 games over his first seven seasons. Since joining the Titans prior to the 2006 season, he’s started 44 of 48 games and finished with tackle totals of 122, 140 and 93. He’s missed only one game since his rookie year in 2002. He played his first four NFL seasons with the Colts.

All the pounding, however, has done some damage. Thornton has dealt with injuries to both his shoulders, and in 2006, he played in every game despite suffering a torn rotator cuff. He had surgery following that season that required five months of rehabilitation.

Still, Thornton ended up leading the Titans in tackles the following season, and his teammates voted him the Ed Block Courage Award winner for his show of sportsmanship and courage.

He’s played through other injuries as well.

“To be honest with you, David Thornton is probably one of the most professional athletes — professional meaning on and off the field — I’ve ever seen,” fellow linebacker Stephen Tulloch said. “He knows how to manage his body. I know I have learned a lot from him over the years. He is definitely a smart guy and he knows how to train the right way, and do what is good for his body. There’s no doubt in my mind he’ll be ready for the season. He’s a professional and he’s been that way since I’ve been here.”

Other teammates and coaches offered similar praise for the player who walked on at North Carolina, and played in his high school’s marching band.

It’s not uncommon for players to modify their offseason conditioning programs as they get older, Coach Jeff Fisher said. He added that Thornton “overcame a shoulder (injury) last season and played well.

“He still has the strength and explosion and the heart,” Fisher said.

Thornton compared his offseason workouts to players who work out at the beach or run in sand. Everyone has something unique they like to try, he said. Just last offseason, Titans strength and conditioning coach Steve Watterson introduced the team to a “kettlebell” workout.

“David Thornton … he puts a lot of work in,” said linebacker Keith Bulluck, who’s headed into his 10th season. “And I do myself. But I take a lot of stress off my body by doing different kinds of weight training, too. Maybe that is what he is going into. I have never been able to do a power lifter or lift the gym, but you do things that are best for you and that’s what I’ve done since my rookie year.”

This fall, Thornton hopes his extra work in the pool will help him make an even bigger splash on the field.

He’ll be part of a linebacker corps looking to make more big plays.

“You always want to be a playmaker and be productive for the team and there are always areas to improve,” Thornton said. “I just want to help this team as much as possible.”