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Seattle Seahawks running back Adrian Peterson Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Adrian Peterson gives up pursuit of rushing record, wants one more season

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 5/23/23

Realistically speaking, Adrian Peterson could move as high as third on the NFL’s all-time rushing list, but he won’t catch Emmitt Smith’s record for career rushing yards, and he knows that.

In fact, he’s already come to terms with it. But Peterson hasn’t thrown the towel in on his career just yet, telling Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he’s hoping a team gives him one last shot to play in 2023.

“Mentally, I haven’t officially hung it up,” Peterson said. “We’ll see what happens. My mindset is, if God’s willing maybe an opportunity presents itself and maybe it happens this season. I’ll go from there. But nothing happens this season. For sure, I will be hanging it up.”

The 38-year-old Peterson didn’t play during the 2022 season after seeing action in four games in 2021 with the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks.

His 14,918 career rushing yards rank fifth all-time. At one point, he was a safe bet to break Smith’s record of 18,355 career yards. Peterson racked up 11,675 rushing yards through his first nine seasons (1,297 per season), and he was on pace to break Smith’s record early into the 2021 season.

Kids these days never got to experience prime Adrian Peterson
pic.twitter.com/fWVxsAbsLb
— Footballism (@FootbaIIism) March 7, 2023

However, a series of injuries including multiple meniscus tears, groin tears, a sports hernia, an MCL tear, a neck injury and many others forced him to miss 35 games from 2014 to 2020.

“I feel like I had a great opportunity to (break Smith’s record),” Peterson admitted. “Unfortunately, I experienced some hiccups throughout my career and you know, injuries and things like that just wasn’t able to get there. So, I think it’ll stand for a long time. And you know, maybe eventually someone will break it, but when you look at see how the NFL is going now, it might not happen.”

While Smith’s record is unattainable, Peterson can improve his standing in the record books. He’s just 357 yards away from passing Detroit Lions great Barry Sanders for fourth on the all-time rushing list, and while improbably, he needs 1,083 yards to pass Frank Gore for third all-time. Peterson is also four rushing touchdowns away from passing Marcus Allen for third all-time.

November 4, 2007: Vikings’ rookie Adrian Peterson gets 296 rushing yards on 30 carries along with three TDs during a 35-17 win over the Chargers. The 296 rushing yards is a NFL single-game record that still stands today. pic.twitter.com/YEdMfkJ312
— This Day In Sports Clips (@TDISportsClips) November 4, 2022