Turns out Adrian Peterson’s playing days may not be over, at least according to the man himself.
In a recent interview with Robert Griffin III, Peterson expressed a desire to return to the NFL, saying “I can still play”. The former Minnesota Vikings running back hasn’t played a game in the NFL since the 2021 season, when he appeared in three games for the Tennessee Titans and in one game for the Seattle Seahawks.
Peterson spent the bulk of his career with the Vikings, coming to the team as a first-round pick in the 2007 NFL draft. When healthy and in his prime, Peterson was arguably one of the best running backs in NFL history.
During his time with the Vikings, Peterson was a seven-time Pro Bowl selection, named a first-team All-Pro selection four times, made second-team All-Pro three times, was a two-time Offensive Player of the Year, and won an MVP award.
Peterson finished his Vikings career in 2016, totaling more than 11,000 rushing yards and falling just shy of the 100 rushing TDs mark with 97. Peterson was never able to find the same success elsewhere, bouncing between six teams after the Vikings and only notching one 1,000 yards season — 2018 with Washington.
As for his comeback bid, while Peterson may believe he still has something left in the tank, it’s going to be an uphill battle for him to convince any NFL team of that.
It was a struggle for Peterson to see the field in his final season, only appearing in four games with two teams in 2021, failing to reach the 100 yard mark total that year. Additionally, while most teams are hesitant to look at running backs over 30, Peterson is a full eight years and some change beyond that mark.
Peterson had a storied career in his prime, but those days are long behind him. While he may be able to provide a team with a warm body, teams will likely think they can get the same thing from someone much younger with more potential upside.
It would be a great story for Peterson to make a return to the NFL, but the odds are firmly stacked against him.