Running back Adrian Peterson, who learned this afternoon that his NFL suspension was upheld by a third-party arbitrator, told ESPN that he has been so disappointed by the league's disciplinary process that he has considered retirement during his time away from the Vikings.
"I've thought about getting back into the real estate [business in Texas] I'm already in," Peterson said in the interview with ESPN. "That's something I've been interested in, something I'm involved in. I've thought about getting back into that.
"I've thought about going after the Olympics — you only live once. It might be time for me to pursue that, as well. I love playing football, don't get me wrong, but this situation is deeper than that. For me, it's like, 'Why should I continue to be a part of an organization or a business that handles players the way they do?'"
Peterson is apparently interested in competing in the 200-meter dash and the 400-meter dash in the Olympics, saying, "I've seriously thought about this real hard."
As for whom he will play for if he sticks with football, Peterson again said that a "fresh start" might be good for him. But he told ESPN that he feels the Vikings have "the talent to win a championship."
His contract, the league's biggest for a running back, is seemingly the biggest obstacle standing between him and a return to the Vikings in 2015. But Peterson doesn't think he should need to take a pay cut.
"I don't see why it would be the case," Peterson said. "I see me being a better player than I was."
