Prior to the start of the 2023 NFL season, former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said he would retire from the league if he didn't sign with anyone.
Despite the fact that we haven't seen him on an NFL roster this season, former Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson still hasn't officially retired from the league yet.
However, Peterson did say back in May that if he went unsigned during the entire 2023 season, then he would finally call it a career in the NFL.
Well, we're heading into the second-to-last week of the 2023 regular season, and the former NFL MVP still hasn't been given an opportunity to sign with a team. So, if Peterson is true to his word, then we might've already seen him take his final snap in the league.
Adrian Peterson is the best Minnesota Vikings running back in team history
Regardless of whether an NFL team gives Peterson a call during the next few weeks or not, he will forever be known as the greatest running back to ever suit up in a purple and gold Vikings uniform.
More than a handful of years after his departure from Minnesota following the 2016 season, he still holds a number of Vikings all-time records like the top marks for career rushing yards, single-season rushing yards, single-game rushing yards, career rushing touchdowns, and single-season rushing touchdowns.
Overall, his 14,918 career rushing yards rank fifth all-time in NFL history behind Barry Sanders, Frank Gore, Walter Payton, and Emmitt Smith. Peterson's 2,097 rushing yards in 2012 is also the second-highest single-season total in league history, behind only Eric Dickerson's 2,105 in 1984.
Since Peterson's last official appearance on an NFL roster came back during the 2021 season when he was a member of the Seattle Seahawks, he is currently on track to be eligible to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2027 class.
Whenever that initial year of Hall of Fame eligibility eventually happens for Peterson, it seems safe to assume that he will be voted in during his first time on the ballot.