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Oklahoma football: Adrian Peterson’s NFL career may be over

By Chip Rouse

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Adrian Peterson #26 of the Washington Redskins runs with the ball while being tackled by Christian Covington #95 of the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 29: Adrian Peterson #26 of the Washington Redskins runs with the ball while being tackled by Christian Covington #95 of the Dallas Cowboys in the third quarter in the game at AT&T Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Former Oklahoma football superstar Adrian Peterson’s NFL career may have come to an end.

The Washington Football Club released the 13-year NFL veteran on Friday in a move that came as a surprise to Peterson and and perhaps some others around the NFL.

Peterson had been with Washington for two seasons and was the team’s leading rusher during that time with 1,940 combined rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Over his career, which included 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and a split season in 2017 with the New Orleans Saints and the Arizona Cardinals, Peterson has amassed 14,216 rushing yards, which trails Barry Sanders by 1,053 yards for fourth place on the career NFL rushing list.

The former Oklahoma All-American and first-round NFL Draft pick told ESPN that the decision surprised him. “I didn’t feel I showed anything that would warrant being released,” he said. “Ultimately, it came down to their preference and a new direction they were going in.”

Washington had five running backs in camp, including the 35-year-old Peterson. The four others, including a couple of free-agent pickups and 2019 fourth-round draft pick Bryce Love of Stanford, are all 27 or younger.

Peterson says he’s not ready to call it quits and definitely wants to continue playing, perhaps as long as five more seasons. Presumably, Washington took the action at this time, two weeks before the start of the 2020 season, to allow Peterson to catch on with another team before the new season gets underway.

Peterson exceeded 1,000 yards rushing in each of his three seasons at Oklahoma (2004-06) and gained an NCAA freshman record 1,925 in 2004. He ranks fourth on the OU career rushing list with 4,041 yards and finished second in the 2004 Heisman Trophy voting behind Heisman winner Matt Leinart of USC.

A seven-time NFL All-Pro and a three-time NFL rushing leader, Peterson was the league’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year in 2012.

With the final roster cut approaching fast, teams will be scouring the waiver wire and the list of released players to fill late roster needs with players that can potentially help them.

We’ll have to wait and see who might be willing to take a chance that Peterson still has something left in his tank. The way he was performing with Washington, I think the answer to that question is yes and yes.

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