Adrian Peterson Sounds Like He’s Ready to Leave Minnesota

Adrian Peterson’s first post-plea deal interview is little more than a calculated attempt at damage control by a man who is now much lighter in the wallet after losing multiple lucrative endorsement deals.

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Sucks to be Adrian Peterson right now. Truly, it does.

Though Peterson does express some remorse in Tom Pelissero’s USA Today piece, he expresses almost as much defiance. He also seems a bit sore in the butt area over the way some in the Vikings organization have responded to the situation.

We know that Peterson has received shows of support from some players, coaches and front office people, but we’ve also heard that a few folks in the organization do not want Peterson back when/if he becomes eligible to play again.

Peterson himself has heard those same reports and now he’s not sure he wants to return to the Vikings. Adrian speaks about needing to feel out the situation in Minnesota and decide if it’s still the place for him (via USA Today):

"“I would have to get back in the community and get a feel,” Peterson said. “I know who loves me. The coaches and the players, it’s not going to be a problem. I’ve felt so much support from those guys. The organization, I know there’s people in the organization that support me and there’s people that I know internally that has not been supporting me.”Peterson said there is mutual love with first-year coach Mike Zimmer, who read a motivational text from Peterson before a Sept. 28 game against Atlanta that’s one of the Vikings’ four wins. He’d gladly return this season if his appeal succeeds. But Peterson also said he has given a lot of thought to the idea that “maybe it’s best for me to get a fresh start somewhere else.”"

Peterson also wonders aloud if his family will still feel comfortable in Minnesota. Because Peterson is all about making sure his family feels comfortable.

Does Adrian Peterson have legitimate cause to feel ill-treated by the Vikings? After initially showing strong support for Peterson, the team did respond to public backlash by backing way off.

Peterson may think the team did him a bad turn by not speaking out more strongly in his favor during his legal process. But Peterson should also try to look at it from the team’s point of view. They really had no choice but to stash him on the exempt list and go silent while the process played out.

Clearly, Peterson thinks he should be able to apologize for the stuff he can’t get away with denying and just go back to being a football player. Many Viking fans would embrace him if he did come back but many would also be bothered.

The Vikings have taken enough grief throughout this process that they are probably ready to just move on, even if there are some in the organization who personally stand behind Peterson.

It seems inevitable that Peterson will be gone, and equally inevitable that it will be an ugly divorce. No one wants Peterson to leave on a sour note after all he has meant to the organization, but if that’s how it has to be, so be it.

Realistically, what will the Vikings be losing when Peterson leaves? An overpaid 30-year-old running back who is about to hit the wall. I think they can live without him. And his considerable baggage.