Timeline: Adrian Peterson's Minnesota Vikings career

March 17, 2017 at 2:09AM

Peterson's timeline

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

Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson dives into the end zone to score a touchdown on a 53-yard run in the fourth quarter against Iowa State in a football game Saturday, Oct. 14, 2006, in Norman, Okla. Peterson broke his collarbone on the play. (AP Photo/The Oklahoman, Nate Billings) ORG XMIT: OKOKL101
(Brian Stensaas — ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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.

Adrian Peterson, a running back from Oklahoma, smiles while holding a jersey after being selected seventh overall by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the NFL Draft Saturday, April 28, 2007 at Radio City Music Hall in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) ORG XMIT: NYFF131
(Brian Stensaas — ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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: Was 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.

CARLOS GONZALEZ � cgonzalez@startribune.com� October 17, 2010 � The Metrodome � Mall of America Field � Minneapolis, Minn � NFL � Minnesota Vikings vs. Dallas Cowboys ] Vikings Adrian Peterson (28) celebrated after scoring a touchdown in the third quarter. Minnesota beat Dallas by a final score of 24-21.
(Brian Stensaas — DML - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Sept. 10, 2011: Signed a $96 million, seven-year contract, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

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.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) is helped up after an injury during the second half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Saturday, Dec. 24, 2011. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) ORG XMIT: NYEOTK
(Brian Stensaas — DML - ASSOCIATED PRESS/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

July 2012: He was 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.

The Minnesota Vikings pulled out a 37-34 win over the Green Bay Packers in an NFL football game Sunday afternoon, December 30, 2012 at Mall of America Field in Minneapolis, Minn. Adrian Peterson fell short of breaking the all-time rushing record, but still gained 199 yards in the Vikings' win over Green Bay Sunday. He waved to fans shouting "MVP" while he was waiting to conduct a post-game interview with the network. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com
(Brian Stensaas — DML - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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, was sentenced to life in prison for the child's 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. 13, 2014: Peterson surrendered to Montgomery County, Texas, authorities after being charged with child abuse. The Vikings had ruled the previous day that the star running back would be inactive and not play against New England.

This photo provided by the Montgomery County sheriff’s office shows the booking photo of Adrian Peterson. Peterson was indicted in Texas for using a branch to spank one of his sons and the Minnesota Vikings promptly benched him for their game Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014 against the New England Patriots. Peterson turned himself in early Saturday at a jail in Montgomery County, near Houston, where he has a home. He was processed and released. (AP Photo/Montgomery County sheriff’s office)
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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

Minnesota Vikings GM Rick Spielman left owner/chairman Mark Wilf , and chief administrative officer Kevin Warren spoke at a 11am new conference to say "We made a mistake and we need to get it right" about Adrian Peterson Wednesday September 16 , 2014 in Eden Prairie ,MN. ] Jerry Holt Jerry.holt@startribune.com
(Tom Wallace — DML - Star Tribune Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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, 2014: 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. 14, 2014: Peterson skips a meeting with NFL officials; the running back subsequently accused the NFL of lying and adopting a "new process of discipline" in his case.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson leaves the courthouse with his wife Ashley Brown Peterson Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in Conroe, Texas. Adrian Peterson avoided jail time on in a plea agreement reached with prosecutors to resolve his child abuse case. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan) ORG XMIT: TXPS105
(Brian Stensaas — AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Nov. 18, 2014: 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, 2014: Arbitrator Harold Henderson upholds Peterson's suspension.

March 23, 2015: 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, 2015: Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said, "We have no plans to trade Adrian."

April 16, 2015: Peterson is reinstated by the NFL, which also warned him to continue his counseling and not to step out of line again.

FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2014, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson leaves the field after an NFL preseason football game against the Oakland Raiders in Minneapolis. The NFL has reinstated Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, clearing the way for him to return after missing most of last season while facing child abuse charges in Texas. The league announced its decision on Thursday, April 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Jim Mone, File)
(Brian Stensaas — ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

May 27, 2015: Vikings coach Mike Zimmer says Peterson has two choices: "Play for the Vikings or do not play this season."

May 28. 2015: Peterson complains about his contract situation on Twitter.

Nov 15, 2015: Rushes for 203 yards against the Raiders, including an 80-yard touchdown, tying O.J. Simpson for most 200-yard games in NFL history (6).

Jan. 3, 2016: Finishes the regular season with a league-high 327 carries for 1,485 yards and 11 TDs

Sept. 18, 2016: Peterson tears the meniscus in his right knee after rushing for 19 yards in the first game at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was tackled by a group of Colts defenders in the first quarter. The carry was Peterson's first after returning from a knee injury. ] CARLOS GONZALEZ cgonzalez@startribune.com - December 18, 2016, Minneapolis, MN, US Bank Stadium, NFL, Minnesota Vikings vs. Indianapolis Colts
(Brian Stensaas — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Dec. 18, 2016: One day after being reinstated from injured reserve, Peterson rushes six times for 22 yards and a fumble against the Colts. His final carry: a 4-yard run on the third play of the second half.

Dec. 30, 2016: Peterson is ruled out for the season finale against the Bears.

Feb. 28, 2017: Vikings announce they won't exercise the $18 million option on Peterson's 2017 contract, meaning he will become a free agent unless both parties work out a deal.

March 16, 2017: Vikings sign Latavius Murray, and GM Rick Spielman confirms Peterson will not be with Minnesota.

about the writer

about the writer