Adrian Peterson
Adrian Peterson
Adrian Lewis Petersonis an American football running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma. Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season. As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting. Peterson finished his college football career...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionFootball Player
Date of Birth21 March 1985
CityPalestine, TX
CountryUnited States of America
I take football as an avenue to different opportunities. Football is not using me; I'm using football.
I'm pretty sure I could outrun the whole Dallas Cowboys team.
I want people to come to the game to see what I will do next.
People have to see it for what it is, but they would be so shocked to know two simple things that I just really never shared with anyone, but I spank my child at times. He didn't move a muscle, not one inch, and he didn't drop one tear. I tell you that and you are probably like, "Wow, how is that even possible?" But little details like that is not what people are able to see, and that makes the world of difference to the outcome of the situation.
I have the mentality that if you come in playing not to get hurt, that's when you're going to get hurt. So I play relentless.
I would sacrifice 1,000 yards rushing to win a Super Bowl. But I want to be the first back to have back-to-back 2,000-yard seasons.
If you don't think that you're the best, how do you become the best?
You look at Ray Lewis, you look at Brett Favre. I know it's different positions, but you think about the mental mindset it takes to continue to grind and play at a high level. Those are the guys that I look at that motivate me.
I have always believed that the way my parents disciplined me has a great deal to do with the success I have enjoyed as a man.
At the end of the day, it's hard to win against the NFL. It's a billion-dollar business, it's hard to win against it. They can manipulate a lot of different things. They can pull strings, they know people. At the end of the day, nine times out of 10, they are going to win.
I have to continue to be a great leader and contribute in any way that I can, and get guys to follow suit. That's how you turn a team around.
I go out and put in a load during the offseason so I know what I'm going to be able to do, as long as I stay healthy, when it comes time for the season.
We are human, so we do go through pain and we struggle with things, but it's all about how you respond to a situation. My whole life, I've been responding in a positive way and keeping a positive mind, keeping God first in my heart, in my mind. No matter what wrong I've done, I know who sees the heart.
My dad means a lot to me. He's the one who put a football in my hands.