On his 14th touch as an NFL player, a 22-year-old Adrian Peterson scored the first of his 102 professional touchdowns.
It was a screen pass from Tarvaris Jackson midway through the fourth quarter of a tight game with the Atlanta Falcons at the Metrodome on Sept. 9, 2007.
It was a simple, yet perfect play call by coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. The Vikings led 10-3 and Peterson, the rookie first-round draft pick, was chewing up close to 6 yards per carry. Atlanta defenders were playing the run, so why not put Peterson out in space and throw him the ball?
The result was a blazing, zig-zagging 60-yard touchdown reception that clinched what became a 24-3 Vikings victory. Peterson threw in 103 yards rushing on 19 carries (5.4) and a 22-yard kickoff return in his regular-season debut.
Since that touchdown, Peterson has touched the ball another 2,645 times with only four more receiving touchdowns and 240 receptions over a 10-year career.
That's not to say Peterson hasn't had a great career that should be celebrated for its strengths as a classic runner. It's a Hall of Fame career that will continue beyond Peterson's 32nd birthday on March 21.
But closing the door on Peterson also could open another door to something better for the Vikings at this point. Someone younger, more versatile, more durable, more modern in a league that continues to evolve in favor of a passing game.
Sorry, AP. It's the circle of life in the NFL, and no one is immune. In fact, I can remember people wondering in 2007 why the Vikings would take an injury-prone kid from Oklahoma seventh overall when a 27-year-old Chester Taylor had just run for 1,216 yards in 2006.