Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson/USA TODAY Sports
The 2012 NFL MVP made his return to the Minnesota Vikings today after a 9-month hiatus surrounding child abuse charges.
There has been much speculation on Peterson’s return to the Vikings, beginning shortly after the Sept. 12 indictment and heightening when he was removed from the commissioner’s exempt list and officially reinstated on April 1. Lately, it seemed as though the two parties – the 30-year-old veteran and the team that holds the ticket to a $45 million contract – were at a stalemate.
To achieve elite status in football and reach the Pro Bowl, players need to exemplify a few common characteristics, two of which are athleticism and intelligence. On any given Sunday (with the exception of the past season, of course), Peterson’s natural talent is on full display. Back in 2012, despite a devastating knee injury, the esteemed running back become the seventh player in NFL history to rush 2,000 yards in a season and finished just nine yards shy of breaking the single-season record held by Eric Dickerson. Just as there is no question about the six-time Pro-Bowler’s athletic ability, there is no doubt that he is strategic both on and off the field and with that comes the realization that his only option outside of retirement is to play for the Vikings.
In a letter to ESPN, Peterson stated: “I’m returning because I want to. I’m a part of this football team and I owe it to the guys I play with and to our coaches.”
While the sentimental message is most likely genuine, there is also some financial benefit for his return. Even though Peterson opted out of the Viking’s first week of OTAs, the team can still decide to pay him the $250,000 workout bonus included in his current contract that runs through 2017.
The return of the prodigal son could mean positive implications for the NFC North team that finished 7-9 despite losing their star running back, as well as two starting offensive linemen due to injuries. Experts, like CBS Sports’ Will Brinson, are pegging the Vikings as a playoff sleeper.
