Best NFL Players of All Time: Adrian Peterson

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Best NFL Players of All Time: Adrian Peterson Biography

Now in our Best NFL players of all time, we have the Adrian Peterson Biography.

Adrian Peterson might be the most renowned football player if he had played in a different period.

The best running back in the game is Peterson. He possesses an incredible blend of strength, speed, instinct, and desire. When Peterson is performing at his best, he devours yardage like a merciless machine.

But Peterson plays in a period where passing games are everything. In order to score points quickly, teams look for a quarterback who can read defenses and find many receivers with the ball. They want receivers who can leap over the defense to create plays, and they want big yardage after the catch. For many teams, the running game is practically a thing of the past.

They want to run the ball in the fourth quarter to keep the time ticking, and they want a running back who can convert first downs and touchdowns in circumstances involving little yards.

With the exception of the Minnesota Vikings, almost all teams seem to have moved past their reliance on the basic running approach. Though they still have a ways to go before they can boast the same kind of passing options as elite rivals like the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears, the Vikings undoubtedly desire such alternatives.

However, Peterson is with the Vikings, and he can dominate any game. Since his rookie season in 2007, when he averaged 5.6 yards per carry, ran for 1,341 yards, and scored 12 touchdowns on the ground, he has done that. After selecting Peterson seventh overall in the first round, the Vikings had no intention of gradually introducing him into the starting lineup.

It opened eyes throughout the NFL and showed Peterson what he could do against the top defensive players, as he was able to run over the strongest linebackers. “I was eager to join the NFL because I was looking for a challenge,” Peterson stated. “I was curious about my performance against the best players.” Despite my complete confidence in my abilities, I was determined to demonstrate them.

In a Week Eight matchup with the San Diego Chargers, he was at his best. With 296 rushing yards, including 253 in the second half, Peterson broke an NFL record. Peterson scored three touchdowns on the ground, the most important of which came halfway through the fourth quarter on a 46-yard scoring run that helped Minnesota win 35–17.

That season, Brad Childress, the Vikings’ coach, gained notoriety for wanting to give his team a chance through the passing game. But after he gained Peterson’s support, he modified his outlook.

Coach Brad Childress remarked, “I like to play football that way.” “I do respect those who can manage things, take someone’s will away from them, and use play-action to play off of that.” This serves as the ideal benchmark, if you’re searching. Even if Peterson’s first year was excellent, it was only the beginning. The best running back in the game discovered his best gear in his second season, which was simply amazing. Peterson gained 1,760 yards and 10 touchdowns on 363 rushes with the ball.

With over 23 carries per game on average that second season, Peterson was nothing more than a workhorse. Peterson tried to carry the 10-6 Vikings on his back and just wanted the ball every chance he got. In 2008, Minnesota qualified for the postseason but lost to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild-Card round.

The next season, Peterson was almost as good, rushing for 1,383 yards and an incredible eighteen touchdowns, making him the fantasy football owner’s darling. He had a 1,298-yard season in 2010 and 12 touchdowns that season to follow that one.

After rushing for 970 yards and 12 touchdowns in Week 16 against the Washington Redskins, Peterson suffered an ACL injury that ended his 2011 season. It seemed like he wouldn’t have a chance to be fit for the start of the 2012 season, thus the injury occurring so late in the season seemed to be a serious issue.

With his conditioning and training program, Peterson at least had a puncher’s chance of being ready for the upcoming season. He assured the Vikings and the media that he would be ready for the start of the season. Few people believed Peterson would be ready as the preseason progressed, but he was in the starting lineup for the first game against the Jacksonville Jaguars and ran for a very respectable 84 yards and two touchdowns.

Although he wasn’t at his best for that game, Peterson would reach his greatest form when he ran for 153 yards against the Arizona Cardinals in Week Seven.

That was the first of Peterson’s eight games in a row with 100 yards or more. In the first two weeks of December, he would rush for 210 yards against the Packers and 212 yards against the Rams. He gained an additional 199 yards in the regular-season matchup with Green Bay, bringing his total yardage for the season to 2,097.

Despite having one of the worst passing attacks in the league, the Vikings would also secure a postseason position that season. It didn’t matter because, despite recovering from a severe injury, Peterson simply carried his team on his shoulders.

Peterson won the Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year Award, the Bert Bell Award, and the NFL MVP Award for his outstanding play.

Few people believed that the season would be possible, even under the best of situations, especially given that it came so soon after a serious injury.

Peterson had the kind of season that made him feel like he could hang out with the greatest running backs in history. It was appropriate to include him among the likes of Emmitt Smith, Gale Sayers, Earl Campbell, and maybe even just below Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, and Walter Payton.

With seven years of experience, Peterson is ready for the 2014 season. Running backs often begin to lose their effectiveness after six, seven, or eight years, according to the history book.

Should that be the case, Peterson might not be the same formidable opponent he once was. But he’s so strong, quick, agile, and talented that he might defy the odds and rank among the greatest running backs in game history.

Adrian Peterson Biography: Stats

Regular Season

Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Att Yds TD 1D Succ% Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Tgt
2007 22 MIN RB 28 14 9 238 1341 12 63 45 73 5.6 95.8 17 28
2008 23 MIN RB 28 16 15 363 1760 10 82 45.5 67 4.8 110 22.7 39
2009 24 MIN RB 28 16 15 314 1383 18 76 44.6 64 4.4 86.4 19.6 57
2010 25 MIN RB 28 15 15 283 1298 12 71 45.6 80 4.6 86.5 18.9 50
2011 26 MIN RB 28 12 12 208 970 12 48 45.7 54 4.7 80.8 17.3 24
2012 27 MIN RB 28 16 16 348 2097 12 88 46.8 82 6 131.1 21.8 51
2013 28 MIN RB 28 14 14 279 1266 10 61 43.7 78 4.5 90.4 19.9 40
2014 29 MIN RB 28 1 1 21 75 0 4 42.9 17 3.6 75 21 3
2015 30 MIN RB 28 16 16 327 1485 11 72 44.3 80 4.5 92.8 20.4 36
2016 31 MIN RB 28 3 3 37 72 0 3 35.1 13 1.9 24 12.3 6
2017 32 2TM RB 10 7 156 529 2 39.1 27 3.4 52.9 15.6 19
ARI RB 23 6 6 129 448 2 16 38 27 3.5 74.7 21.5 16
NOR RB 28 4 1 27 81 0 5 44.4 11 3 20.3 6.8 3
2018 33 WAS RB 26 16 16 251 1042 7 47 45.8 90 4.2 65.1 15.7 26
2019 34 WAS RB 26 15 15 211 898 5 41 46 32 4.3 59.9 14.1 23
2020 35 DET RB 28 16 10 156 604 7 34 44.2 38 3.9 37.8 9.8 18
2021 36 2TM RB 4 3 38 98 2 6 42.1 16 2.6 24.5 9.5 4
TEN RB 8 3 2 27 82 1 4 44.4 16 3 27.3 9 4
SEA RB 21 1 1 11 16 1 2 36.4 7 1.5 16 11

More Regular Season Stats:

Year Age Tm Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Succ% Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt Touch Y/Tch YScm RRTD Fmb AV
2007 22 MIN 19 268 14.1 1 14 57.1 60 1.4 19.1 67.90% 9.6 257 6.3 1609 13 4 12
2008 23 MIN 21 125 6 0 4 25.6 16 1.3 7.8 53.80% 3.2 384 4.9 1885 10 9 13
2009 24 MIN 43 436 10.1 0 16 47.4 63 2.7 27.3 75.40% 7.6 357 5.1 1819 18 7 16
2010 25 MIN 36 341 9.5 1 17 48 34 2.4 22.7 72.00% 6.8 319 5.1 1639 13 1 11
2011 26 MIN 18 139 7.7 1 5 29.2 22 1.5 11.6 75.00% 5.8 226 4.9 1109 13 1 8
2012 27 MIN 40 217 5.4 1 11 45.1 20 2.5 13.6 78.40% 4.3 388 6 2314 13 4 19
2013 28 MIN 29 171 5.9 1 11 42.5 22 2.1 12.2 72.50% 4.3 308 4.7 1437 11 5 11
2014 29 MIN 2 18 9 0 1 66.7 9 2 18 66.70% 6 23 4 93 0 0 1
2015 30 MIN 30 222 7.4 0 9 41.7 49 1.9 13.9 83.30% 6.2 357 4.8 1707 11 7 14
2016 31 MIN 3 8 2.7 0 0 0 7 1 2.7 50.00% 1.3 40 2 80 0 1 1
2017 32 2TM 11 70 6.4 0 31.6 13 1.1 7 57.90% 3.7 167 3.6 599 2 3 4
ARI 9 66 7.3 0 3 37.5 13 1.5 11 56.30% 4.1 138 3.7 514 2 3 3
NOR 2 4 2 0 0 0 3 0.5 1 66.70% 1.3 29 2.9 85 0 0 1
2018 33 WAS 20 208 10.4 1 9 50 52 1.3 13 76.90% 8 271 4.6 1250 8 3 7
2019 34 WAS 17 142 8.4 0 7 47.8 22 1.1 9.5 73.90% 6.2 228 4.6 1040 5 3 6
2020 35 DET 12 101 8.4 0 4 55.6 23 0.8 6.3 66.70% 5.6 168 4.2 705 7 0 5
2021 36 2TM 4 8 2 0 0 25 5 1 2 100.00% 2 42 2.5 106 2 1 1
TEN 4 8 2 0 0 25 5 1.3 2.7 100.00% 2 31 2.9 90 1 0 1
SEA 0 11 1.5 16 1 1 0

Career

Year Age Tm Pos No. G GS Att Yds TD 1D Succ% Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Tgt
Career 184 167 3230 14918 120 717 44.8 90 4.6 81.1 17.6 424
10 yrs MIN 123 116 2418 11747 97 568 45 82 4.9 95.5 19.7 334
2 yrs WAS 31 31 462 1940 12 88 45.9 90 4.2 62.6 14.9 49
1 yr ARI 6 6 129 448 2 16 38 27 3.5 74.7 21.5 16
1 yr DET 16 10 156 604 7 34 44.2 38 3.9 37.8 9.8 18
1 yr NOR 4 1 27 81 0 5 44.4 11 3 20.3 6.8 3
1 yr SEA 1 1 11 16 1 2 36.4 7 1.5 16 11
1 yr TEN 3 2 27 82 1 4 44.4 16 3 27.3 9 4

More Career Stats:

Year Age Tm Rec Yds Y/R TD 1D Succ% Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt Touch Y/Tch YScm RRTD Fmb AV
Career 305 2474 8.1 6 111 42.9 63 1.7 13.4 71.90% 5.8 3535 4.9 17392 126 49 129
10 yrs MIN 241 1945 8.1 5 88 42.2 63 2 15.8 72.20% 5.8 2659 5.1 13692 102 39 106
2 yrs WAS 37 350 9.5 1 16 49 52 1.2 11.3 75.50% 7.1 499 4.6 2290 13 6 13
1 yr ARI 9 66 7.3 0 3 37.5 13 1.5 11 56.30% 4.1 138 3.7 514 2 3 3
1 yr DET 12 101 8.4 0 4 55.6 23 0.8 6.3 66.70% 5.6 168 4.2 705 7 5
1 yr NOR 2 4 2 0 0 0 3 0.5 1 66.70% 1.3 29 2.9 85 0 1
1 yr SEA 0 11 1.5 16 1 1 0
1 yr TEN 4 8 2 0 0 25 5 1.3 2.7 100.00% 2 31 2.9 90 1 1

Playoffs

Year Age Tm Pos G GS Att Yds TD 1D Succ% Lng Y/A Y/G A/G Tgt Rec
2008 23 MIN HB 1 1 20 83 2 2 35 40 4.2 83 20 1 0
2009 24 MIN HB,RB 2 2 51 185 3 9 35.3 27 3.6 92.5 25.5 4 3
2012 27 MIN HB 1 1 22 99 0 7 59.1 18 4.5 99 22 3 1
2015 30 MIN HB 1 1 23 45 0 2 17.4 13 2 45 23 2 2
Career 5 5 116 412 5 20 36.2 40 3.6 82.4 23.2 10 6

More Playoffs Stats:

Year Age Tm Yds Y/R TD 1D Succ% Lng R/G Y/G Ctch% Y/Tgt Touch Y/Tch YScm RRTD Fmb
2008 23 MIN 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.00% 0 20 4.2 83 2 0
2009 24 MIN 33 11 0 2 50 19 1.5 16.5 75.00% 8.3 54 4 218 3 2
2012 27 MIN 8 8 0 0 33.3 8 1 8 33.30% 2.7 23 4.7 107 0 0
2015 30 MIN 13 6.5 0 0 100 8 2 13 100.00% 6.5 25 2.3 58 0 1
Career 54 9 0 2 50 19 1.2 10.8 60.00% 5.4 122 3.8 466 5 3

 

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