Minnesota Vikings legend earns first major honor ahead of expected induction into Pro Football Hall of Fame
While he hasn’t been with the Minnesota Vikings in a decade, Adrian Peterson will always be remembered in purple and gold.
One of the best players in the history of the Minnesota Vikings is starting to get his due. After spending 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, running back Adrian Peterson will be inducted into the Ring of Honor this season.
Peterson will be the 29th individual inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor, and just the third running back. Bill Brown and Chuck Foremand have already been inducted.
Adrian Peterson to be inducted into Vikings Ring of Honor
It’s the first of likely many honors for Peterson, who will be eligible for the Pro Football Hall of Fame next year. He spent 10 years with the Vikings, and was a dominant force throughout his career. He piled up the accolades with the Vikings.
- 7-time Pro Bowler
- 4-time first-team, 2-time second-team All-Pro
- 2007 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year
- 2012 NFL MVP
- 2012 AP Offensive Player of the Year
- 2012 PWFA Comeback Player of the Year
Peterson was the seventh overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, and it was somewhat of a surprise. The Vikings had just signed Chester Taylor to sizable contract, and he was coming off of a very good year with the team. Even so, the Vikings believed he was a generational player, and they were rewarded quickly.
He was a backup in his first game, but still ran for 100 yards. In Week 5 against the Chicago Bears, that’s when things changed, as he ran for 224 yards and three touchdowns, announcing to the world that he was different. He doubled down three weeks later, setting an NFL record with 296 rushing yards and three touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers.
When it came to his on-field career, Peterson had his best season in 2012. He suffered a torn ACL on Christmas Eve in 2011, and returned for Week 1 the following season. He then finished with 2,097 yards, eight yards short of Eric Dickerson’s NFL record. Despite wide receiver Percy Harvin being a legitimate MVP candidate through the first half of the season, Peterson ran for over 100 yards in nine of the last 10 games, securing MVP honors himself over the returning Peyton Manning.
There were some off-field issues, including missing the final 15 games of the 2014 season. The player is more than worthy of the honor, and he will receive that sometime this season.