Adrian Peterson‘s place in NFL history is set in stone.
He’s fifth in career rushing yards with 14,918 and one of only eight running backs to have at least 2,000 yards in a season.
The Texas native is also a four-time First-Team All-Pro selection, seven-time Pro Bowler, and league MVP in 2012.
His on-field domination made him a part of the league’s 2010s All-Decade Team.
Peterson also holds the record for most rushing yards in a single game with 296.
But while the former Oklahoma Sooner has nothing left to prove, he’s not ready to call it a career yet.
“All Day” Returns
Everyone thought that the Detroit Lions would be the last stop of his legendary NFL career.
However, an opportunity came when Derrick Henry suffered a foot injury that rendered him out of action.
The Tennessee Titans replaced one icon with another by signing Peterson to their practice squad.
“All Day” became part of Tennessee’s active roster and scored a touchdown.
Unfortunately, his tenure with the Titans lasted only three games because the team had better options at the position like Dontrell Hilliard and D’Onta Foreman.
But when Tennessee closed the door, the Seattle Seahawks opened the door for Peterson.
He played one game for head coach Pete Carroll and scored a touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers.
That score tied him with Jim Brown in all-time rushing touchdowns with 126.
Peterson also became the first running back to score a touchdown for six NFL teams.
Will Any Team Sign Him?
Peterson’s contract with the Seahawks ended after the team’s final regular-season game.
Therefore, he’s free to seek terms with other NFL teams.
But will any team take a gamble on him?
Sadly, he’s not the same player who can change the game’s outcome by himself.
He’s manifesting signs of slowing down at a position wherein players regress as they become older.
The lightning speed that helped evade countless tacklers isn’t there for him anymore.
Yet if any NFL franchise will be willing to bring him in, they better have another source of rushing yards.
Peterson will be more suitable to play backup despite his stature.
It’s difficult not to marvel at how he took care of his body, especially after major injuries.
But at this point, betting on him with the game on the line might be suicide.
He’s more of a third-down reserve than the all-down back he once was.
Peterson The Mentor
Peterson will keep the door open once another opportunity comes.
He can explore being a coach if it doesn’t come because he seems to have the knack for the trade.
He might not deliver the rushing yards and the touchdowns for Seattle, but he helped Rashaad Penny improve.
Peterson imparted his wisdom on the fourth-year running back from San Diego State.
As a result, Penny finished with 671 yards and six touchdowns during the Seahawks’ last five games of the 2021 season.
If Peterson cannot impact the game through stats anymore, perhaps it’s time to share his knowledge with a new generation of running backs that revered him.
It would be impossible for them to avoid practices and team meetings when their hero will be the one mentoring.
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