Adrian Peterson Talks Eric Dickerson's Single-Season Record, Vikings, More in B/R AMA

Erin WalshFeb 11, 2022

It's unclear where Adrian Peterson will play in 2022. But if one thing's for sure, it's that he's had a lasting impact on the game of football.

The legendary running back spent the 2021 season split between the Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks. In four games (three with Tennessee, one with Seattle), Peterson rushed for 98 yards and two touchdowns on 38 carries. He also caught four passes for eight yards.

Despite an underwhelming 2021 season, Peterson has long been considered one of the best running backs in the NFL. He spent the 2020 season with the Detroit Lions, rushing for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.

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Before that, he spent two seasons with the then-Washington Football Team from 2018-19, rushing for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns in 31 games. He also spent time with the Arizona Cardinals and New Orleans Saints, but he is mostly known for his career as a Minnesota Viking.

In 10 seasons with the Vikings from 2007-16, Peterson rushed for 11,747 yards and 97 touchdowns across 123 games. During his time in Minnesota, he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007, MVP in 2012, was a four-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler.

Peterson also ranks fifth in career rushing yards (14,918) behind Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Frank Gore and Barry Sanders. He also ranks second on the NFL's single-season rushing yards list behind Eric Dickerson (2,105 yards) with 2,097 yards.

Speaking of Dickerson, Peterson sat down with B/R for an AMA session and talked about several topics, including nearly breaking Dickerson's single-season record, his career with the Vikings and more.

The following is the full transcript from the AMA session.

@ClevelandChad: When did religion become a big part of who you are? Was it always engraved?

Yeah it was something that was always engraved in me from a child. Just understanding at a young age that I was able to understand that there’s nothing you can’t do without having Christ in your life. He’s the source of everything. Growing up and being in the church and having my family and that background, it’s amazing how having that face has changed my life and in football. Having that faith and believing that you can do all things through Christ. You gotta believe that, you gotta understand that it’s a higher power that’s in control and dependent on him that allows you to overcome those situations. To overcome the ACL injury and have the best season of your career, and perform at an outstanding level, God used me as a vessel to say hey, this is what you can do when you have faith. Faith is really important.

@DodgViks15: What was your favorite part about being a Viking?

The history behind the Vikings. The great players, you know. Culpepper, Randy Moss, the defensive guys, the Purple People Eaters, John Randle, Fran Tarkenton. There’s so many people there, a great history. I’ve always loved those colors, you know purple and gold that's always been a god-like color to me, You know, royal purple.

The people I met throughout the process, I met some great people throughout the organization, people that support me throughout my career and those relationships. That’s the kind of thing that you carry with you.

@FitchKarma66: What was the best offense you had the chance to be a part of? 2009 (brett favre, sidney rice, percy harvin))? 2015 (teddy, diggs rudolph)? Another year?

It was definitely the 2009 season. We had some talent on that team. Bernard Berrian, Percy, Harvin, Sidney Rice, Chester Taylor, Brett Favre? Come on. We had a good team and we were stacked offensively as well. We were stacked offensively and defensively too. Antoine Winfield, one of the best corners I’ve probably ever played with. We had some dogs on defense and offense so I definitely gotta go with that year.

@CVikings182: What was your mindset after the ACL tear? What do you think was the biggest factor that helped you get back to MVP status so fast?

How fast I had to reset my mind. I remember being in the locker room and thinking I have to come back better than before.

You know, what can you do about it. It is what it is,. I immediately got my mind right. Ultimately, I can do all things through Christ. Let me get my plan together and execute it. I made it known, my point, this is what I had to accomplish.

It was hard, hard, hard. But when I look back on it, before I ran out that tunnel before that first game, all that hard work was worth it.

@Salah11: How long did it take to get over being 8-9 yards short of Eric’s rushing record?

I wasn’t even thinking about the record, We needed to win that game to get to the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, I knew I needed at least 200 yards to get that record, which was a lot.

I remember doing an interview after the game, and she was like ‘oh wow, you were like 7 yards short?’ And I said so what? And she said ‘for the record’ and I was like oh. I would’ve rather been 40 yards short. 7 yards short like a first down? I was like oooh

My mindset? I came off an ACL injury and ended up 7 yards short. That record was broke already. In my mind I already had it. The injury I sustained, in my mind I had it.

@Rhettro: What was going through your head when you broke the record for most rushing yards in a game vs. SD Chargers? Was it just a ‘I need the ball. Get out of my way mentality’?

I was just trying to win the game. That first half was terrible. We only had 40 yards on the ground, and 250 came in the second half. I just remembered telling the guys: ‘hey keep pressing, keep pressing. I think in the first half I pressed too much a couple times and it was a missed opportunity. So, I was just trying to make up for the first half. I didn’t know it was going to be 296 but I’ll take it.

@CJShoe: Is there a single team over the course of your career that whenever you played them you just felt like you were going to dominate?

Green Bay. Chicago. Arizona too. I don’t know what it is about Arizona, I feel like a lot of us had success against them. I feel like teams with good defenses I kind of thrived, I loved the challenge of facing against a good opponent

@JTH44: If you could hire one lead blocker from your career as a bodyguard, who are we going with?

I’d probably say Jim Kleinsasser.

@LotusRonin: The guy that gave you the hardest hit in your career was ___

Probably Shaun Rodgers. I had broke outside and I was trying to cut back. He hit me so hard. I got up quick, but I was taken back. Aside from that one, Troy Polamalu hit me in my thigh. I scored a TD, but I still remember that hit to this day. He hit me right on the pad in my thigh and I flipped over. That was one of the hardest hits I’ve had too. It gave me a little contusion.

@Gtogo: Did it ever bother you that people called you AP instead of AD ‘All Day’?

I definitely prefer AD. It doesn’t bother me. People that know me, they call me AD. People call me AP, they’re fine.

@Estuko: Would you like to retire as a Viking?

Oh yeah of course. Bleed purple. I spent a decade there. Have some lasting relationships. Definitely will be retiring in that Vikings uniform.

@NotRudy_Gobert: Super Bowl pick?

I got Cincinnati. 28-24. I think their defense will step up, their offensive line, I think their running game will be a big factor in keeping Burrow up. Ain’t too much you can do about Aaron Donald, I think they’ll limit his opportunities. Hammer in the mouth in the run game, I think that’ll help ‘em loosen up. Two backs from Oklahoma, they’re in the Super Bowl for a reason. I definitely see them pulling it off.

Hey Adrian so I understand you’re partnering with Rebalance which is some pretty cool stuff. Can you tell us more about the Rebalance System and what you’re doing with them?

I’ve been working with this company for about three weeks, and I've been taking their supplement for about three weeks, and it’s been a hit for me.

If you want your mojo back, I’d suggest taking this supplement. Whether you’ve been working in the gym or in your daily life, for me it’s about mastering my mojo.

What’s attracted me to it the most is that it's all natural, and that’s always been important to me in my career, putting the right things into my body. And once I started researching it, it was a hit for me.

It helps balance your cortisol levels. That way your body can naturally enhance itself and produce hormones that allow your body to recover faster and become stronger. It’s been working tremendously for me and it’s been a hit, I encourage everyone to try it. You can do more research and preorder.

The majority of people have a high level of cortisol and that causes stress and diminishes your energy. To be able to balance that out and optimize your potential producing natural HGH and natural hormones to help your body receiver faster and build strength and endurance. Like I said it was a hit for me and it’s a no brainer.

Try it yourself and see if you believe in it and how it responds to you.