Adrian Peterson career timeline

A look at Adrian Peterson's time with the Vikings, on and off the field.

2004: Set an NCAA freshman record by rushing for 1,925 yards at Oklahoma, becoming a unanimous first-team All-America.

2007: Selected seventh overall by the Vikings; scouts questioned his durability after he suffered shoulder, collarbone and ankle injuries during his three seasons at Oklahoma.

Nov. 4, 2007: Set an NFL record for rushing yards in a game (296) against San Diego. Finished his rookie season with 1,341 rushing yards, winning Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl MVP honors.

2008: Led the NFL in rushing with 1,760 yards; his 30-game total of 3,101 yards trailed only Eric Dickerson and Jim Brown.

December 2009: Cited for speeding by Edina police, who clocked him at 109 miles per hour in a 55-mph zone. 2009: After the arrival of Brett Favre, Peterson's rushing yardage dropped to 1,383, but he caught a career-high 43 passes for 436 yards.

Oct. 17, 2010: Went over the 5,000-yard rushing milestone — he was the fifth-fastest to that mark in history — in a 24-21 victory over Dallas at the Metrodome.

Dec. 24, 2011: Suffered a serious knee injury against Washington that required surgery; he failed to reach 1,000 yards rushing for the first time in his career, playing in only 12 games.

July 2012: Charged with resisting arrest outside a nightclub in Houston, not far from his offseason home. Peterson and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, disputed the Houston police's version of events, and a grand jury declined to indict him.

2012: Eight months after major knee surgery, Peterson started in Week 1 and went on to win NFL MVP honors, rushing for 2,097 yards. He finished 9 yards short of breaking Dickerson's NFL single-season rushing mark of 2,105 yards set in 1984.

October, 2013: Tyrese Ruffin, a 2-year-old son Peterson did not know about until a few months before, was killed in Sioux Falls, S.D. Joseph Robert Patterson, the boyfriend of Ruffin's mother, awaits trial for murder.

2013: Ran 78 yards for a TD on his first carry but saw his rushing yardage drop to 1,266 while playing in only 14 games.

Sept. 15, 2014: The Vikings announced that they were reinstating Peterson and that he would play in this Sunday's game at New Orleans.

Sept. 17, 2014: With corporate sponsors, politicians and fans voicing outrage over Peterson's return, the Vikings reversed field and announced that Peterson had been placed on the exempt/commissioner's permission list. In short, Peterson is banned from contact with the team while he focuses on his personal problems but will get paid.

Oct. 9: Texas prosecutors file a motion seeking to revoke his bond and have him jailed after Peterson admitted to county employee before a urine test that he had smoked "a little weed." The motion was ultimately dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Nov. 4: Peterson enters a no contest plea, admitting no guilt to a misdemeanor child injury charge. Although largely ending the criminal case, his status with the NFL remained uncertain.

Nov. 10: The NFLPA files an expedited noninjury grievance seeking reinstatement of the All-Pro running back.

Nov. 18: The NFL announces that Peterson will be suspended for the rest of the season. The running back said he will appeal the decision.

Dec. 12: Arbitrator Harold Henderson upholds Peterson's suspension.

Feb. 27: Peterson returned to the commissioner's exempt list when U.S. District Judge David Doty overturned an arbitrator's ruling that sided with the league over Peterson.

March 23: Peterson's agent, Ben Dogra, said, "I don't think it's in Adrian's best interest to play in Minnesota. Why would it be?"

March 25: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said, "We have no plans to trade Adrian." April 7: Peterson meets with commissioner Roger Goodell.

April 20: Peterson absent from first day of voluntary workouts.

May 1: Dogra says he appreciates Vikings keeping Peterson, but want them to "show him a commitment."

May 20: NFL Players Association says it wants commissioner Roger Goodell held in contempt of court for actions in Peterson's suspension.

May 26: Peterson doesn't attend Vikings ' Organized Team Activities at Winter Park.

May 27: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Peterson has two choices: "Play for the Vikings or do not play this season."