The NFL’s most grueling position tends to grind away and break down players very quickly, especially teams that feature running backs.
Adrian Peterson has been the focal point of the Vikings offense for the past decade. He has been the iron workhorse, our main go to, and some days the only source of true offense we can muster. He has recently stated that he could play until he is 40.
Is it even possible? If so, at what level would that running back be competing? For most backs the answers are no, and if it was even feasible that back would be a third down back or goal line runner at most. Unless that man is Adrian Peterson.
The age your typical running back hits his peak is 27. It’s proven that after 27 production drops by 15%, 25% after 2 years, and 40% by age 30. That does not mean it’s impossible by any means for a running back to remain effective. In the entire time the NFL has existed the NFL has featured 47 running backs over 30 who have broken the 1000 yard threshold, AP being one of them.
Unfortunately for Peterson only 5 times has it happened for a running back over 32, two running backs managed it twice, John Riggins in 1983-1984 and J.H. Johnson did it in 1962 and 1964. 1984 was the last time the feat was accomplished. I believe Adrian is capable of accomplishing this feat, and possibly even taking home another couple rushing titles.
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Working against A.P. is the fact of the inevitable, like Peyton Manning found out, time catches up to everybody eventually. Adrian Peterson has carried an excessive workload already in his career, he has given up his body, suffered a massive disastrous injury to his knee, and quite literally carried this team on his back during the lean years. With every hit and tackle he takes, I cringe hoping he pops back up and runs to the huddle.
At such a grueling position some of the brightest stars have retired early just to avoid permanent damage to their bodies. Robert Smith, Terrell Davis, and just this current off-season, my wife’s favorite player, Marshawn Lynch, all ended their respective careers with plenty left in the tank and possibly better years and bigger paychecks ahead of them.
Let us not forget that Peterson tore his ACL and MCL, a catastrophic injury, and somehow managed to return to NFL form in 8 months. Not just NFL form, but he came back on a rampage in MVP form. Adrian finished the season with 2097 (1019 yards after contact) rushing yards, the second most in a single season all time, became the second player in NFL history to rush for 150 yards or more in 7 games during an NFL season (Earl Campbell, 1980, was the first), and became our Vikings franchise leading rusher of all time.
NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, 7 Pro Bowls, 1 Pro Bowl MVP, 4x First team All-Pro, 3x Second team All-Pro, 3x NFL rushing leader, 2x NFL rushing touchdown leader, 4x NFC rushing leader, 11675 career rushing yards, career 4.9 yard per carry average, 97 rushing touchdowns. All that’s missing from those career accolades is a Super Bowl Championship.
I think it’s more than possible for AP to play until he turns 40, I think he could maintain doing it at a high level. He plays with a passion and a fire like nobody else. I believe the only thing that could derail him from that personal quest would be another serious injury.
The only question that remains is. Will he get play that long as a Viking? For the next 2 seasons Peterson is set to make $30,000,000. Are we going to be willing to pay $18,000,000 in 2017? I’m not the manager of this team but I would beg and plead to keep him. I admire the loyalty of our Vikings bringing back Chad Greenway for 1 more season, to give him another shot at a title and the chance to retire a Viking.
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One last personal reason to keep AP a Viking, in 2017 we play the Cincinnati Bengals at home and I would love to watch Peterson stiff arm, and plow over Vontaze Burfict. In my opinion, that man is just a punk, and it would be a spectacle and a privilege to watch him get laid out.