The Minnesota Vikings running back may be playing in his final season with the team, but he feels like his career resume is enough to earn a return in purple next year.
During Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Minnesota Vikings likely did not get the performance out of running back Adrian Peterson that they were hoping for. Peterson finished the game with just 23 total yards on seven touches while only playing in 21 percent of the team’s total snaps on offense.
Based on his first two games of the 2016 season, the running back’s statistics against the Colts really should not have come as a surprise to anyone. Peterson’s combined rushing yards in his three appearances this year have not even cracked the 100 yard mark yet.
Currently, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has rushed for 34 more yards this season than the Minnesota running back.
But even with his struggles this year, Peterson does not feel like he does not need to do much for the Vikings to keep him on the roster next year. On Wednesday, the running back responded to a question about him having something to prove to Minnesota’s front office heading into the team’s final two games this season.
"“I wouldn’t think so, I’ve been here for 10 years, I’ve done some okay things. For me, I don’t really feel like I have anything to prove.”More from The Viking Age6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings historyFormer Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC NorthBears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022"
Adrian has accomplished more than most of the running backs who have played in the NFL, but a player’s past success hardly ever goes into a team’s decision making process. Jerry Rice is arguably the best wide receiver to ever play in the league, but that did not stop the San Francisco 49ers from cutting him four years before his career ended.
Peterson has failed to recognize that NFL teams could care less about what a player has achieved for them in the past. It is all about what that player can do for the team right now and in the near future.
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Perhaps Minnesota could give the running back the benefit of the doubt, but a smart person would not bet on that.