Adrian Peterson hasn't worn Vikings purple in almost two years. That doesn't preclude him from speaking about the Vikings, though.
"I could be beneficial to them right now," Peterson said of the Vikings in an interview with the St. Paul Pioneer Press this past weekend.
Now a Washington Redskin, Peterson has experienced a rebirth of sorts through his first four games, rushing for 236 yards and three touchdowns on 56 carries (4.2 yards per tote). Peterson has looked fairly similar to the horned-helmeted back who used to barrel through defenses.
He isn't the Peterson of his prime, but he is effective. Minnesota can't say the same about its rushing attack, ranked t-29th in the league after five games at 3.4 yards per carry.
Now's a good time for Peterson to toot his own horn, considering those numbers. But he's also taking a moment or two to pass along a "told ya so" message, even if its weight is only temporary.
"They've been watching and I guess saying, 'I was wrong,' with the way they viewed me," he said of the Vikings.
Despite the slow start, Minnesota isn't hurting for a running back in the long game. Dalvin Cook, when healthy, has a good chance to become the organization's next franchise back. Latavius Murray -- who Peterson said was signed before he was even offered a new deal by the Vikings in 2017 -- is carrying the load in between, providing less than encouraging results.
With all of this said, there are no hard feelings. Peterson wants to retire as a Viking and expects his jersey to hang in the rafters of U.S. Bank Stadium.
"I accomplished some great things with No. 28," he said. "It should definitely be a number that they consider retiring on their own terms."
Until then, Peterson will continue to fill the mercenary running back role, taking carries in the nation's capital while also not forgetting the road he took there. He meets another familiar franchise this weekend in New Orleans, where he was employed for part of the 2017 season.
It's safe to say he won't see his number retired there.
