Adrian Peterson injury update: Surgery needed on knee
By Adam Carlson
The Minnesota Vikings got some bad news, as it was recently announced that running back Adrian Peterson will need surgery to repair his injured knee.
Watching the Minnesota Vikings defeat the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football was bittersweet. While it was great to get a win at U.S. Bank Stadium and beat a division rival, the collective fan base was holding their breath when they saw running back Adrian Peterson go down on the field.
At first, the injury was announced as a torn meniscus. That wouldn’t have been a horrible injury for the veteran running back, as the only major factor for an injury like that is playing through the pain. However, bad news struck today, as it seems the injury is much more complicated than that.
Yes, it is still a meniscus tear, but this style of tear is more serious than the common type and will require surgery and time to heal. ESPN’s Josina Anderson explained this situation on Twitter:
Peterson has what is known as "bucket handle tear." I'm told that's a minm of 3-4 months out & up 6months usually. Again Peterson has faith.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) September 21, 2016
The Pioneer Press says that Adrian Peterson told ESPN today that he will undergo surgery on Thursday, September 22, 2016 to repair the damage. The 3-4 month timeline could have Peterson return for the playoffs if needed, but could also mean that he is out for the season. The Minnesota Vikings will need to make the decision on whether to place the running back on long or short-term injured reserve.
Peterson went down on a routine run play during the third quarter of Sunday night’s game against the Packers. The team finished by using a combination of Jerick McKinnon and Matt Asiata to close out the game.
The Minnesota Vikings has already added a running back to the main roster for depth while Adrian Peterson is on the shelf, as they announced the signing of veteran Ronnie Hillman to the team’s main roster.
Next: Full game-by-game 2016 Vikings season preview
The Viking Age would like to wish Adrian Peterson and speedy and full recovery from his surgery tomorrow. Without him on the field, the Minnesota Vikings offense will have a new identity and possibly a new plan of attack under quarterback Sam Bradford.