Minnesota RB turned 30 in March
MANKATO, Minn. – Adrian Peterson sets his goals high. The highest in the history of the NFL, in fact.
The Minnesota Vikings running back said he’s shooting for a 2,500-yard season but, then again, he, at ‘least,’ thinks that every year.
“I always keep the mark at twenty-five (2,500), so if I get close to that, that’s not bad,” Peterson said at training camp on the Minnesota Vikings website.
It’s a gaudy number for couple reasons. First, Peterson turned the dreaded 30 years old in March. Not many running backs produce after 30.
He also played in just one game last season because of allegations of child abuse, but maybe the rest will help. And he could be more motivated, after the Vikings gave him $20 million guaranteed in a contract restructuring.
He’s going to need all the help and motivation he can get, because nobody has ever come close to 2,500 yards. Eric Dickerson rushed for the NFL single-season record in 1984 with 2,105 yards for the St. Louis Rams.
Peterson came close to breaking that in 2012 – coming off ACL and MCL tears, leaving the world to wonder just how he did it – but finished 9 yards short of Dickerson’s record, not to mention needed about three more games to get to 2,500.