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MISSION VIEJO, Calif. — The temperatures pushed the thermometer over 90 degrees in the Southern California sun yesterday and there was LaDainian Tomlinson grinding it out with a group of younger Jets teammates on Mark Sanchez’s high-school football field in a voluntary passing camp.
In a show of leadership, Tomlinson was the first to sign up for Sanchez’s “Jets West” weeklong camp at Mission Viejo High School.
What’s more, he showed his willingness to take a step back from his role as the Jets lead back — saying in a mini-bombshell that he would accept being the third-down back if it will help Gang Green win the Super Bowl.
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This team-first approach is coming from a player — to borrow a phrase from Bill Parcells, — who is “going to the Hall of Fame on roller skates.”
“I would really love to just come out of the backfield and run routes,” Tomlinson said. “I don’t want to carry the ball as many times as I did last year (219 carries for 914 yards). Hopefully, that role goes to Shonn Greene and some of these younger guys, and I can really create matchup problems coming out of the backfield.
“I’ve been the best running back in the league before,” he said “Now, at end of my career, I would love to be the best third-down back in the league.”
Tomlinson’s presence adds immeasurable cachet, gives Sanchez’s camp street cred among many of the players who were quick to follow him.
“It’s very powerful to see him here,” Jets second-year running back Joe McKnight said. “Everyone knows he’s going to the Hall of Fame, but he’s still out here working with us, still has got that will to win and will to come out here and work hard.”
Tomlinson wasn’t at Sanchez’s “Jets West Camp” last year because his wife was having their first child, but he wasn’t going to miss this one.
“I don’t care what your status is in the league and how big you may be, how many MVPs you have and all that kind of stuff, this is what you need to do to be successful,” Tomlinson said. “I want to show guys that, ‘Hey, I’ve done everything in this league you can possibly do, but that’s not going to stop me from coming out here with my teammates and working extra.’ I’m not afraid of that.”
Greene, who’s not at this camp, will compete with McKnight and newly drafted Louisville running back Bilal Powell for carries along with Tomlinson.
When Powell was drafted, there was immediate speculation that perhaps, Tomlinson, who will be 32 and is in the final year of his Jets contract, might be released.
Those thoughts seem preposterous considering what Tomlinson brings to the Jets in terms of production on the field and leadership off of it — evidenced by his presence here this week.
Tomlinson didn’t blink when he saw the Jets drafted Powell.
“I don’t think you can have too many running backs,” he said. “It creates competition. We all want competition. It brings out the best in us.”
McKnight’s thoughts were slightly different than Tomlinson’s.
“I was [ticked] and motivated at the same time,” McKnight, who suffered through a forgettable rookie season, said. “It just adds fuel to the fire.”
No one seems to have more fuel than the 11th-year pro Tomlinson, whose presence here this week hardly has been lost on Sanchez.
“It really sets an example,” Sanchez said. “He’s here helping coach the other guys. He’s asking questions in the meetings like he’s a rookie. He just commands respect and has a presence about him. He’s a first-ballot [Hall of Famer], no doubt, and he was one of the first guys on board for this.”
mcannizzaro@nypost.com