Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Adrian Peterson

Discover the career path of Adrian Peterson, from the first major opportunity to industry-changing achievements.

Adrian Peterson, a former NFL running back, is considered one of the greatest in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, setting a freshman rushing record and becoming the first freshman runner-up for the Heisman Trophy. He ended his college career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher before a long and successful NFL career.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1984: Comparison to John Riggins' Record

During the 2018 season, Adrian Peterson became the oldest player to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season since John Riggins in 1984.

2002: Track & Field Success

In 2002, Adrian Peterson recorded a wind-legal time of 10.26 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the District 15-4A Championships.

2003: UIL State Track Meet

At the 2003 UIL State Track Meet, Adrian Peterson posted a wind-assisted time of 10.33 seconds in the 100 meters.

2003: Senior Year Rushing

In 2003, Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,960 yards and 32 touchdowns during his senior year.

2004: Relay Victory

At the 2004 District 14-4A Championships, Adrian Peterson ran the second leg on the Palestine 4 × 100 m relay squad, contributing to their victory with a time of 41.50 seconds.

2004: Debate Over NFL Age Limit

Following Maurice Clarett's lawsuit against the NFL over its age limit in 2004, there was discussion about whether a high school player could make the leap to the NFL, with Adrian Peterson frequently mentioned.

2004: Oklahoma Sooners Freshman Season

In 2004, Adrian Peterson began playing for the Oklahoma Sooners and broke several NCAA freshman rushing records, rushing for 1,925 yards.

2004: College Decision

In 2004, Adrian Peterson committed to the University of Oklahoma after considering multiple schools. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, where he announced his college choice.

2004: Freshman Rushing Record

In 2004, Adrian Peterson set the freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards. That year, he was also named a unanimous All-American and became the first freshman to finish as a runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

2005: Heisman Trophy Runner-Up

Despite a record-breaking season, Adrian Peterson finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting in 2005.

2005: Limited Playing Time

During the 2005 season, Peterson's playing time was limited by a broken foot, but he still rushed for 1,208 yards and 14 touchdowns.

2006: Played for Oklahoma Sooners

From 2004 to 2006, Adrian Peterson played for the Oklahoma Sooners football team.

January 15, 2007: Declared for NFL Draft

On January 15, 2007, Adrian Peterson declared that he would enter the 2007 NFL draft, foregoing his senior year of college.

April 28, 2007: Drafted by Minnesota Vikings

On April 28, 2007, Adrian Peterson was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings as the seventh overall pick in the NFL draft.

July 29, 2007: Signed with the Vikings

Nearly three months after being drafted, on July 29, 2007, Adrian Peterson signed a five-year contract with the Minnesota Vikings worth $40.5 million.

September 9, 2007: NFL Debut

On September 9, 2007, Adrian Peterson debuted in the NFL with 103 rushing yards and a touchdown reception against the Atlanta Falcons.

October 14, 2007: Breakout Game Against Bears

On October 14, 2007, Adrian Peterson had a breakout game against the Chicago Bears, rushing for 224 yards and three touchdowns.

November 4, 2007: Broke NFL Single Game Rushing Record

On November 4, 2007, Adrian Peterson broke the NFL single-game rushing record with 296 yards against the San Diego Chargers.

December 2, 2007: Return to Action

On December 2, 2007, almost a month after his injury, Peterson returned to play against the Detroit Lions. During the game, he scored two touchdowns and rushed for 116 yards.

2007: Finished Second in Rushing Yards

During the 2007 season, Peterson finished in second place in rushing yards with 1,341 yards.

2007: Start of Leading the NFL in Rushing

From the 2007 season, Adrian Peterson began a period where he led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

2007: Fiesta Bowl

In 2007, Adrian Peterson played his last game for Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl, rushing for 77 yards and a touchdown.

2007: Drafted to the NFL

In 2007, Adrian Peterson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overall in the NFL draft.

2007: NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year

In 2007, Peterson was named The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named to the Pro Football Writers Association All-Rookie Team for the 2007 season.

February 10, 2008: NFL Pro Bowl MVP Award

On February 10, 2008, Peterson won the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl MVP award with 16 carries for 129 rushing yards along with two touchdowns.

2008: Named NFC Pro Bowl Starting Running Back

In 2008, Adrian Peterson was named as the starting running back for the 2008 NFC Pro Bowl team.

2008: High Expectations for 2008 Season

In 2008, Peterson and the Vikings entered the season with high expectations, and Peterson aimed for a 2,000-yard campaign and the NFL MVP award.

2008: Led the League in Rushing

In 2008, Peterson finished leading the league in rushing with 1,760 yards and was named the recipient of the Bert Bell Award.

January 14, 2009: Named to Second AP All-Pro Team

On January 14, 2009, Peterson was named to his second AP All-Pro team in two years.

2009: Expectations with Favre Arrival

Prior to the start of the 2009 season, analysts named Peterson the best running back in the NFL, and the arrival of Brett Favre brought speculation about Peterson's role in the offense.

2010: 5,000 Rushing Yards

In 2010, Adrian Peterson became the fifth-fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, achieving this in his 51st game.

2010: Strong Start to the 2010 Season

In 2010, Peterson started the season strongly with 392 yards and three touchdowns in the first three weeks, earning NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He reached the 5,000 yard career rushing mark.

September 10, 2011: Signed with Vikings for $96 Million

On September 10, 2011, Peterson signed a $96 million contract with the Vikings, becoming the highest-paid running back in NFL history.

September 18, 2011: Reached 6,000-Yard Milestone

On September 18, 2011, Peterson reached the 6,000-yard milestone in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2011: Ranked in NFL Top 100

After the 2010 season, Peterson was voted as the third-ranked player and top running back on the NFL Network's list of the NFL Top 100 Players of 2011.

2011: Vikings Improved Record

In 2011, The Vikings improved from 3-13. qualifying as NFC's sixth seed in the playoffs.

2011: 2011 Season Performance

In the 2011 season, Peterson had 208 carries for 970 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns.

2012: NFL MVP Award

In 2012, Adrian Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards and received the NFL MVP Award.

2012: Near Record-Breaking Season

In 2012, Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards, the second-most ever in a single season, and led the Vikings to the playoffs. He won NFL Offensive Player of the Year and NFL MVP awards.

2012: Ranked in NFL Top 100

In 2012, Peterson was ranked eighth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players.

2013: Reached 10,000 Rushing Yards

In 2013, Adrian Peterson became the third-fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history.

2013: 2013 Season Performance

In 2013, Peterson opened the season with a 78-yard touchdown run and later faced personal tragedy with the death of his son, yet still played. He finished the season with 1,266 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns.

2013: Ranked Best Player in NFL

Peterson was ranked as the best player in the NFL amongst his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

2014: Ranked Fourth in NFL Top 100

In 2014, Peterson was ranked fourth by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players, marking his fourth consecutive finish in the top ten.

February 26, 2015: Reinstated to the League

On February 26, 2015, Peterson was reinstated to the NFL after a U.S. District Court ruling. He returned to the Vikings on June 2.

September 23, 2016: Placed on Injured Reserve

On September 23, 2016, Adrian Peterson was placed on injured reserve due to a torn meniscus and mild LCL sprain in his right knee.

2016: Opened Gym with Trent Williams

In 2016, Adrian Peterson and Trent Williams opened a gym in Houston featuring a soccer field, MMA training area, and an incline running hill.

2016: End of Tenure with Vikings

The 2016 season marked the end of Adrian Peterson's tenure with the Vikings, during which he led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns from 2007 to 2016.

February 28, 2017: Vikings Decline Peterson's Contract Option

On February 28, 2017, the Minnesota Vikings announced they would not exercise Adrian Peterson's 2017 contract option, making him a free agent.

April 25, 2017: Signed with New Orleans Saints

On April 25, 2017, Adrian Peterson signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the New Orleans Saints, including a $2.5 million signing bonus.

September 11, 2017: First Game with Saints Against Vikings

On September 11, 2017, Adrian Peterson played his first game with the Saints against his former team, the Minnesota Vikings, where he was limited to 18 rushing yards.

October 10, 2017: Traded to Arizona Cardinals

On October 10, 2017, Adrian Peterson was traded to the Arizona Cardinals for a conditional sixth-round draft pick.

December 15, 2017: Placed on Injured Reserve by Cardinals

On December 15, 2017, Adrian Peterson was placed on injured reserve by the Arizona Cardinals due to a neck injury.

2017: Ranked in NFL Top 100 Players

Despite playing only three games in 2016 due to injury, Adrian Peterson was ranked 98th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

2017: Signed with Saints

In 2017, Adrian Peterson signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, later traded to the Arizona Cardinals.

March 13, 2018: Released by Cardinals

On March 13, 2018, Adrian Peterson was released by the Arizona Cardinals.

August 20, 2018: Signed with Washington Redskins

On August 20, 2018, Adrian Peterson signed a one-year contract with the Washington Redskins following injuries to their running backs.

September 9, 2018: Moved to Top 10 in Career Rushing Yards

On September 9, 2018, in a game against the Arizona Cardinals, Adrian Peterson moved into the top 10 on the career rushing yards list, surpassing Jim Brown.

March 13, 2019: Signed Two-Year Contract with Redskins

On March 13, 2019, Adrian Peterson signed a two-year, $8 million contract to stay with the Washington Redskins.

September 4, 2020: Released by Washington Redskins

Adrian Peterson was released by the Washington Redskins on September 4, 2020.

September 6, 2020: Signed with Detroit Lions

On September 6, 2020, Adrian Peterson signed a one-year contract with the Detroit Lions.

November 2, 2021: Signed to Titans' Practice Squad

On November 2, 2021, Adrian Peterson signed to the Tennessee Titans' practice squad following an injury to Derrick Henry.

November 5, 2021: Promoted to Titans' Active Roster

On November 5, 2021, Adrian Peterson was promoted to the Tennessee Titans' active roster.

November 23, 2021: Waived by the Titans

On November 23, 2021, Adrian Peterson was waived by the Tennessee Titans.

December 1, 2021: Signed to Seahawks' Practice Squad

On December 1, 2021, Adrian Peterson was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad.

December 4, 2021: Activated by Seahawks, Ties Rushing TD Record

On December 4, 2021, Adrian Peterson was activated off the practice squad for the Seahawks' game against the 49ers, where he scored a rushing touchdown and tied Jim Brown for tenth on the all-time rushing touchdowns list.

January 17, 2022: Became a Free Agent

On January 17, 2022, Adrian Peterson became a free agent.

2023: Unsigned in 2023 Season

In 2023, Adrian Peterson stated his willingness to play one more season, but ultimately was not signed by any team and did not play during the 2023 season.