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#28RUNNING BACK

AdrianPeterson

Minnesota Vikings

One of the greatest running backs in NFL history, 2012 NFL MVP and seven-time Pro Bowler who ran for over 14,000 career yards.

Adrian Peterson
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
NFL MVP
Pro Bowl
Notable Games
296yds296-Yard Rush
regular season · Week 9, 2007 vs LAC
3td3-TD Rush
regular season · Week 6, 2007 vs CHI
BORN
March 21, 1985 · Palestine, TX
HEIGHT
6'1
WEIGHT
220lb
NET WORTH
$103,215,972
DRAFT
2007, R1, 7th
Minnesota Vikings
NFL CAREER
2007–2021
15 seasons
01Biography

Adrian Peterson biography and NFL career overview.

Adrian Lewis Peterson is a former running back born March 21, 1985, in Palestine, Texas (6'1", 217 lbs). He played college football at Oklahoma, was drafted 7th overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2007 NFL Draft, and later played for New Orleans, Arizona, Washington, Detroit, Tennessee, and Seattle. He's the 2012 NFL MVP, a seven-time Pro Bowler, and four-time first-team All-Pro.

Peterson endured childhood tragedy — he watched his older brother killed by a drunk driver at age seven, and his father was later imprisoned for money laundering — and channeled that pain into football, earning the nickname "All Day." At Oklahoma, he set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards in 2004 and became the first true freshman to finish as Heisman runner-up.

The Vikings took Peterson 7th overall in 2007. In just his eighth NFL game, he set the still-standing single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the Chargers, and he was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. In 2008 he led the league in rushing for the first time. After tearing his ACL and MCL late in 2011, he made a stunning comeback in 2012, rushing for 2,097 yards — the second-most in a single season ever, just nine yards short of the all-time record — and won NFL MVP, becoming the most recent non-quarterback to do so.

Peterson's career was overshadowed in 2014 by a child-abuse case involving corporal punishment of his young son, which led to a season-long suspension. He continued playing into his late 30s for several teams, becoming the first player in NFL history to score a rushing touchdown for six different franchises.

Peterson retired with 14,918 career rushing yards (fifth all-time) and 120 rushing touchdowns, along with three career rushing titles. He's remembered as one of the most explosive power-speed backs the game has seen, drawing comparisons to Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown. Peterson retired with 14,918 career rushing yards (fifth all-time) and 120 rushing touchdowns, along with three career rushing titles. He's remembered as one of the most explosive power-speed backs the game has seen, drawing comparisons to Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown.

02Quick Facts

Quick facts about Adrian Peterson — full name, college, position, NFL debut, teams, and years active.

Full Name
Adrian Peterson
College
Oklahoma
Position
RB
NFL Debut
2007
Teams
5
Years Active
2007–2021
03Awards & Honors

Adrian Peterson awards and honors — Super Bowls, MVP, Pro Bowl, and Hall of Fame.

Pro Bowl
2007–10, 2012, 2013, 2015
All-Pro 1st Team
2008, 2009, 2012, 2015
AP MVP
2012
PFWA MVP
HOF All-2010s Team
AP Off. PoY
2012
AP Off. RoY
Bert Bell Award
2× career
04Career Statistics

Regular-season rushing stats by year.

05Career at a glance

Adrian Peterson career totals — receptions, rushing yards, touchdowns, and Pro Bowl honors.

184
Games
14,921
Rush Yds
120
Rush TD
4.6
YPC
2,474
Rec Yds
6
Rec TD
7
Pro Bowls
06Career Highs

Adrian Peterson single-game career highs — best rushing and receiving performances.

296
Rush Yds
Week 9, 2007 · vs LAC
Rush TD
Carries
Rec Yds
Receptions
07Playoffs & Super Bowl

Adrian Peterson playoff stats — postseason averages and totals.

82.4
Rush Yds/G · Postseason avg
1.00Rush TD/G
54Playoff Rec Yds
412Playoff Rush Yds
6Playoff Rec
5Playoff Games
5 playoff games
08Pro Bowl & All-Pro

Adrian Peterson Pro Bowl selections and All-Pro honors.

7
Pro Bowl selections
4First-team All-Pro
0Super Bowl wins
0 Super Bowl MVP
Super Bowl LegacyChampionships
Championship legacy
Minnesota Vikings
0
SB MVP
0
Playoff W
5
Playoff GP
09Team History

Adrian Peterson team history — Minnesota Vikings, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders and career timeline.

15 seasons · 5 teams
MINNESOTA VIKINGSARIZONA CARDINALSWASHINGTON COMMANDERSDETROIT LIONSSEATTLE SEAHAWKS
20072017201820202021
Trade data since 1994
10Salaries

Adrian Peterson salary history and career earnings ($103,215,972 total) per Spotrac.

SEASON
TEAM
CASH
2016
MIN
$12,001,848
2017
ARI
$705,882$2,794,118
2018
WAS
$1,015,000
2019
WAS
$2,530,000
2020
DET
$1,153,765
2021
SEA
$70,000$59,722$179,166
11Similar Legends

NFL legends similar to Adrian Peterson by position, era, and career arc.

+FAQCommon questions

Common questions about Adrian Peterson — height, Super Bowls, teams, and stats.

Adrian Peterson is 6'1.