Adrian Peterson's run on "Dancing With the Stars" is over. The former Minnesota Vikings running back was eliminated Tuesday night despite getting his best reviews during his short time on the ABC series.

Peterson struggled early this season, even landing in the bottom two during the second week. But he seemed determined to turn things around.

"I played my entire career using power and strength" he said during a pretaped interview that ran before his live performance. "But now I have to be smooth and elegant to win over the judges."

It worked. After a Viennese waltz to "Baby Mine" from "Dumbo," the judges sang their praises. Carrie Ann Inaba called it "the most touching dance of the night."

Derek Hough stood up and clapped.

"You have literally transformed before our eyes," he said. You're finding your new strength in the stillness, in the calm. That dance really moved me."

The panel, which also included Bruno Tunioli, gave Peterson and his partner Britt Stewart a score of 21, good enough to put the couple in the middle of the pack.

But the judges' scores are only half of the total votes. In the end, viewers didn't think enough of Peterson's softer side. Some may not have been able to overlook his past.

Former "Dancing" professionals Cheryl Burke and Sharna Burgess have both criticized the show for casting Peterson, who was suspended for most of the 2014 season after being indicted on child abuse charges.

"This journey was amazing," Peterson said during the closing credits as he praised his partner. "It was lovely."