With the newly signed Latavius Murray set to occupy their backfield, the Vikings have closed the door on the possibility of re-signing Adrian Peterson, general manager Rick Spielman announced Thursday (Twitter link via the team).
The fact that the Vikings are moving on from Peterson comes as no surprise in the wake of the Murray acquisition. However, after the Vikings declined Peterson’s $18MM option in February, it seemed possible they’d bring him back at a far more reasonable figure. Instead, the club didn’t make the soon-to-be 32-year-old an offer.
Peterson will go down as one of the greatest Vikings ever, having earned seven Pro Bowls trips, five first-team All-Pro nods and an MVP (2013) since they selected him in the first round of the 2007 draft. He’ll depart Minnesota 16th on the all-time rushing list (11,747), 10th in rushing touchdowns (97) and third in yards-per-carry average (4.9), though he no longer possesses the sparkling reputation he had when he entered the league.
Peterson’s character took a hit in 2014, when he violated the league’s personal conduct policy in an incident of abusive discipline toward his then-4-year-old son. Peterson missed 15 of 16 games that season as a result, but he bounced back in 2015 to win the league’s rushing title. Unfortunately for Peterson, 2016 represented another step backward. Thanks to the meniscus tear he suffered last September, Peterson appeared in just three games and totaled a mere 37 carries in his final year as a Viking.
Now, on account of his age, the injury and his paltry 1.9 YPC last season, Peterson is having difficulty finding work in free agency. Several rumored suitors – the Texans, Patriots, Raiders, Giants – have shown little to no interest in Peterson, while the Seahawks visited with him but then opted to sign Eddie Lacy instead. Peterson will undoubtedly land somewhere in the coming months, but it’s obvious things haven’t broken his way since the Vikings declined his option.
Abusive discipline my butt. Come grow up in the south. It’s just because he’s a public figure he got called out for basically spanking his son. People look at him differently for that now but I have uttermost respect for him. Hope he gets signed and shows the league he still has it
He abused the kid. Just because “that’s how they do it in the South” or that’s how my mom did it or whatever, doesn’t change the definition. I know all about getting your own switch off the tree and all that. I also agree with Cris Carter, who has said some stupid things at other times but was man enough to say his mom was wrong. I think a lot of times people deep down know their parents were wrong about discipline but they don’t want to dishonor their memory or say anything bad about people who loved and raised them. Even for most people who think spanking is OK, breaking the skin and inflicting injury on genital areas is not acceptable. I don’t want to say too much about the guy’s character or judge him as a dad, but I’ve known plenty of “dads” whose only involvement in parenting is beating kids. I’ve also been on the wrong end of physically imposing elite athletes who take anger out on little kids. I refuse to provide cover for such behavior.
So my dad, who happens to be a pastor, is a child abuser because he disciplined me a little hard growing up? It’s what I needed to get my life right. Maybe the kid was a little young for it but in my eyes, discipline is discipline and parents should decide on it. The punishment was not too harsh to me. Bunch of libs
What has being a pastor has to do with anything? Christianity does not automatically make you a good person.
Not saying it does but child abuser and pastor don’t match up
HAAA!
Child abuser and pastors are one in the same.
Wow, you are so wrong. You are what’s wrong with this country.
Something tells me Daddy was more than a little hard when he was ‘punishing’ you, Knox
Ha!
He showed last year he has nothing left.
utmost respect for a dude that whips his kid bloody? who has numerous kids with numerous women he doesnt even know about?
If you respect that, you are with whats wrong with society today.
Christopher Knox,
Obviously you still need some sense beat into you since you lack the intelligence to understand what is acceptable treatment of a child and what is considered abuse.
I hope you’re not fortunate enough to have children… since you have absolutely no understanding of their innocence, nor what it truly means to be a parent.
If you do have kids, I hope they’re fortunate enough to have you not in their lives. It might suck for them at times not having a father, but they’re much better off not knowing scum like you.
please kill yourself
Kill myself? Because I value my obligations as a parent to protect them and keep them safe? Because I don’t believe in some outdated inhumane philosophy of beating your will into your children? Kill my self because rather than physically impose my will, I prefer to teach them? Or kill my self because I’d rather my children respect me and learn from me than cower in fear just so they don’t get beaten?
And just to head you off with your ignorant argument that I’m a hippy loving liberal, I’m not. Proud conservative. Proud Christian. Proud gun owner. Proud Hunter. Proud Veteran. I hate taxes and socialism. I want less government. I hate peta.
To the proud liberals here, please don’t take comments from these ignoramuses on here as gospel of how all conservatives think. They are a minority amongst conservatives. Have no worries about them though. Evolution will rid us of their likeminded brethren soon.
Just as there are members of your party who disagree, there are members in our party who disagree as well.
He’ll get signed by someone eventually, but his contractual expectations will have to drop considerably before that happens.
green Bay get it done Ted
I love how at the beginning of the offseason he was essentially naming the teams he wanted to go play for. Like he could pick any team and they would be lucky to sign him. False illusions on what his market really is.
There’s always Cleveland.
No there isn’t. He’s too old.
Child abuser. South, North, Mid West…who cares – child abuse is child abuse.
He’s done being a contributor to any offense. He could run behind Dallas’ line and would still stink.
Good riddance. Lifelong Vikings fan. He’s such a worthless POS off the field. Maybe 10 kids out of wedlock, beats his kids, can’t read. He should be thankful for what he has and walk away. Good luck with the spousal support payments, Adrian.
AP should of shown some loyalty to the Vikings and worked a reasonable deal, like Greenway did. By holding out, he made it an easy decision for Minnesota. His age and injuries combined with his one dimensional style and tendency to fumble weren’t a package worth paying alot to keep. He might still have some game left in him but Minnesota was wise to better utilize their resources.
Look at all the sad comments from clowns who don’t understand parenting. Parenting isn’t letting your child do whatever they want. Parenting is raising your child to be a productive member of society and not a scumbag. Most Democrats are terrible parents, and it’s obvious who you are based in the comments. “My mean and evil parents spanked me”. Yeah, and you deserved it. Today’s “let kids raise themselves and punish parents for doing their job” narrative is being and has been pushed by the amer8can communist party, and more recently the liberal/globalist agenda. Weakening of the family unit is essential to left wing politics, it’s a stated goal, and something that has been going on for decades. The term “millennial” really means child of a modern democrat, and they are all worthless
I Hope someone just snipes you out of existence, it would save us all from having to read more of your absolute nonsense.
please don’t procreate, your bloodline needs to be ended.
Shouldnt be surprised by a name like BayAreaSportsFan though, obviously clueless nonsensical jibberish
And we are now all dumber for reading that jibberish nonsense. thanks alot
Please don’t bring politics into this. This is a platform where we speak about football, where I personally try to escape from politics. I think it’s important to speak your mind, but please there are other platforms to do that.
Yeah the South also is dumb, fat,poor and racist so maybe time to change?
And the north and west are liberal and gay. Maybe time to change?
Hey this is Donald Trump!!!….let’s clean up this forum please. I’m begging you because my smokin hot daughter reads this from time to time and I worry about her young pretty eyes.
Thanks your Prez.
Don