![The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Detroit Lions 14-13 in their final game of the season and the last game ever in the Metrodome Sunday afternoon, December 29, 2013 in Minneapolis. Vikings coaching legend Bud Grant sat on the bench with injured running back Adrian Peterson after the game Sunday aftenroon. ] JEFF WHEELER • jeff.wheeler@startribune.com](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/LHMHGEABFGJ43DZGYTEJTZICGA.jpg?&w=1080)
He came agonizingly close to the Super Bowl in 2009. He also played for one-and-done playoff teams in 2008 and 2012. Other than that, Adrian Peterson's career has been marked by individual brilliance without a whole lot of team success.
Much of that is a function of the quarterbacks who have been around him. The one year he was surrounded by a QB playing at the top of his game (Brett Favre in 2009), the Vikings were oh-so-close.
Regardless, the clock is ticking for Peterson, who turns 29 in two months. And his peers really want to see him in the big game.
An ESPN survey of more than 320 players in the league revealed Peterson is the player they most want to see in the Super Bowl who hasn't already been there. He got 59 votes, slightly ahead of Tony Gonzalez -- the veteran tight end with way more years under his belt.
"That's pretty cool," Peterson told ESPN. "It feels good. I guess guys are able to see the passion that I play with, the desire I play with, and they respect it enough to make that type of statement. It says a lot, and it means a lot."
One little nugget from the end of that item:
Would he want to go elsewhere if the Vikings don't seem to be on the road to a championship?
"I try to stay in stride with what's going on, and play my cards as they're dealt to me," he said. "I've always said I would love to finish here, with the Vikings, so I'll just stick with that."
