Former Minnesota Vikings running backs Jerick McKinnon and Adrian Peterson are going to work out together this year to prepare for the upcoming 2020 season.
Jerick McKinnon hasn’t been on an NFL field for a meaningful snap since his final season with the Minnesota Vikings in 2017.
Since then, McKinnon has dealt with multiple issues related to an ACL injury he suffered in 2018 and it’s resulted in him missing every game during the last two years. Now with the San Francisco 49ers, the opportunities to stay in the league are beginning to decrease for the former Vikings running back.
McKinnon is hoping he can finally get back to playing during the upcoming season for the 49ers. In an effort to find out if his knee is fully recovered, he recently shared that he’s going to participate in some grueling workout sessions with a former teammate of his from his time in Minnesota, Adrian Peterson.
McKinnon and Peterson were in the same backfield for the Vikings from 2014 to 2016. When Peterson had to miss a significant amount of time in 2014 and 2016 due to injuries and a suspension, McKinnon was the one who helped fill in the void in Minnesota’s rushing attack.
In four seasons with the Vikings, McKinnon accumulated a total of 2,902 yards (1,918 rushing and 984 receiving), 142 catches, and 12 touchdowns. He also spent some time as Minnesota’s kick returner in 2017 and he ended up averaging 26 yards per return.
When McKinnon became a free agent in 2018, he chose to sign a four-year, $30 million deal with the 49ers to become a primary factor in their offense. Things were looking good for the future of the former Vikings running back until everything came to a halt when he tore his ACL just a few days before the start of the 2018 regular season.
Unfortunately, McKinnon suffered a setback in his recovery last year and he had to miss the entire 2019 season as well.
Peterson, on the other hand, is heading into his 14th year in the NFL at the age of 35. By joining his former teammate for some workouts this year, McKinnon is hoping it can help him follow in Peterson’s footsteps and remain in the league for much, much longer.