Adrian Peterson is unanimous first-team All-Pro selection

Adrian Peterson has for the fourth time in his career been named first-team All-Pro at running back.

A lot of people doubted Adrian Peterson coming into the 2015 season, but Peterson succeeded in quieting the critics who didn’t believe he could return to his pre-2014 form at running back.

Critics of Peterson’s personal life…well, Adrian hasn’t been quite as good at shutting them down.

But Associated Press isn’t voting for the best people in football when they choose their annual All-Pro team, they’re voting for the best players.

And AP voted unanimously this year to make Peterson their first-team All-Pro at running back.

After playing just one game in 2014 before being suspended for the remainder of the year, Peterson returned in 2015 and posted an NFL-high 1,485 yards on an NFL-high 327 carries with an NFL-high 11 rushing touchdowns.

More from The Viking Age

• 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
• Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
• Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
• 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
• Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022

Peterson topped the 100-yard rushing mark seven times and went over 200 yards once.

Was it always an easy ride? No it was not. At times during the season Peterson’s rushing style seemed a bad fit with the offense Norv Turner was trying to run to help out Teddy Bridgewater.

And there was all the criticism of Peterson’s pass blocking and receiving, and his occasional fumbling issues.

A few times during the season Peterson was vocal in his criticism of Turner’s playcalling, but eventually things got sorted out.

With Peterson leading the way, the Vikings put together an 11-5 season and will face the Seattle Seahawks Sunday in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

Next: Peterson's back a concern

All this after a tumultuous offseason filled with rumors that Peterson wished to leave the Vikings.

Peterson was last named first-team All-Pro in 2012, the year he went over 2,000 yards. He was named first-team All-Pro back-to-back seasons in 2008 and 2009.