Adrian Peterson

At 39 years old, Adrian Peterson has this physical status:

Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL).

He played college football at Oklahoma and was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings seventh overall in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Peterson set the NCAA freshman rushing record with 1,925 yards as a true freshman during the 2004 season.

As a unanimous first-team All-American, he became the first freshman to finish as the runner-up in the Heisman Trophy balloting.

Peterson finished his college football career as the Sooners' third all-time leading rusher.

He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in NFL history. Following his first professional season, in which he set an NFL record for most rushing yards in a single game (296), Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

He was then awarded the MVP award for his performance in the Pro Bowl and became only the fifth player in NFL history to have more than 3,000 yards through his first two seasons.

In 2010, he became the fifth fastest player to run for 5,000 yards, doing so in his 51st game. In 2012, Peterson became the sixth fastest player to reach 8,000 rushing yards, ending the season with 2,097 rushing yards, just nine yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson's single season all-time record.

Peterson amassed 2,314 all-purpose yards from scrimmage in 2012, tying Marcus Allen for the eighth-highest total ever.

For his efforts, he received the NFL MVP Award and the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award for the 2012 NFL season.

During the 2013 season, Peterson became the third fastest player to reach 10,000 rushing yards in NFL history.

In 2015, Peterson became the oldest running back to make first-team All-Pro, doing so at 30 years of age. In September 2014, Peterson was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on charges of reckless or negligent injury to a child that occurred earlier that year, and was suspended for the rest of the 2014 season.

A free agent coming into the 2017 season, Peterson signed a two-year contract with the New Orleans Saints, but was traded to the Arizona Cardinals just five weeks into the season before being released following the season's end.

Peterson then signed with the Washington Redskins in 2018, where he recorded the eighth 1,000-yard season of his career, tied for sixth-most all-time.

Early years

Peterson was born in Palestine, Texas, to Bonita Brown and Nelson Peterson, who were star athletes in college. His father was a shooting guard for Idaho State, but his dream of a National Basketball Association career was derailed when a gun that his brother was cleaning discharged into his leg. His mother, a three-time Texas state champion at Westwood High School, attended the University of Houston on an athletic scholarship as a sprinter and long jumper. Peterson's best friend was his older brother, Brian. Peterson's father nicknamed him "All Day," because his father said he could go all day.

At age 7, Peterson saw his 9-year-old brother Brian killed by a drunk driver as he rode his bicycle. Around this time Peterson began to deal with his pain through sports and became interested in football.

His father Nelson participated as an assistant coach. Peterson played in the popular East Texas, Anderson County Youth Football Program. When Peterson was 13, his father was arrested for money laundering in a crack cocaine ring.

Personal life

Peterson has a half-brother named Jaylon Brown who was a running back on the football team at Klein Oak High School. Another half-brother was murdered the night before Peterson participated in the NFL Combine. When Peterson was a teenager, his father was sentenced to 10 years in prison for laundering drug money. Peterson has six children. His two-year-old son died on October 11, 2013, at a hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, due to injuries sustained during an alleged assault by Joseph Robert Patterson, the boyfriend of the child's mother. Peterson had learned about his son only a few weeks prior to his death, and had never met him.

Peterson identifies as a Christian. He spoke of his faith in relation to his injuries, "This is a blessing in disguise. I'll come back stronger and better than I was before. What flashed in my mind was, 'I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.'"

Peterson is the nephew of former NFL running back Ivory Lee Brown. Peterson is friends with offensive tackle Trent Williams, who was a teammate at the University of Oklahoma and with the Washington Redskins. In 2016, he and Williams opened a gym in Houston that includes a soccer field, an MMA training area and an incline running hill.

Peterson appeared in the Season 4 finale of The League.

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High school career

At Palestine High School, Peterson was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and track. Peterson was the most prominent in football, having played during his junior and senior years. He was unable to play for the Palestine High School Wildcats varsity football team in his sophomore year. Peterson's junior season ended with 2,051 yards on 246 runs, an average of 8.3 yards per carry, and 22 touchdowns. He began to recruit Division I recruiters' interest while junior and knew he'd likely have his pick of colleges after his senior year.

He rushed for 2,960 yards on 252 attempts, an average of 11.7 yards per carry, and 32 touchdowns as a senior in 2003. After a game, players from the other team begged for his autograph. Following Maurice Clarett's flopful attempt to sue the NFL over its age limit in 2004, there was a lot of controversy over whether any high school football player would be able to make the jump from the preps to the pro game. Peterson was the player most often mentioned player.

Peterson followed in his mother's footsteps to excel in track & field at Woodward, where he earned multiple medals in athletic events such as the 100 meters, 200 meters, triple jump, and long jump. Peterson's coach has stated that if Peterson had not chosen a career in football, he may have chosen a career in football. In the 100-meter dash at the 2002 District 15-4A Championships, he ran in a record time of 10.26 seconds, finishing first by a large margin. In the 100 meters at the 2003 UIL State Track Meet, he ran in a second-place finish behind Ivory Williams, who also won the 2004 World Junior Championship over the same distance. Peterson was the second leg of the Palestine 4 - 100 m relay team in 2004, assisting them in their victory in a time of 41.50 seconds. Peterson has stated that his personal records for the 100 meters, 21.23 seconds in the 200 meters, and 47.6 seconds in the 400 meters were 10.19 seconds.

Peterson was regarded as the best running back and overall prospect in the Class of 2004 by Rivals.com. After considering colleges like Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, Arkansas, and Miami (FL), he realized he wanted to go to a school where he could be a difference maker in a national championship bid and narrowed his choices down to USC and Oklahoma. He was a member of the National Guard All-American Bowl and led the West squad with 95 yards on nine attempts and two touchdowns, and he announced at the game that he would attend college at the University of Oklahoma. Following his senior season, he was named National Player of the Year by the United States Army. In addition, he was named by College Football News and Rivals.com as the best high school player in the nation.

College career

Peterson played for coach Bob Stoops's Oklahoma Sooners football team from 2004 to 2006. Peterson set many NCAA freshman records during his Oklahoma freshman season, rushing for a record-breaking 1,925 yards and leading the nation in carry averages with 339. He rushed for more than 100 yards in all nine games of the season, which is a freshman record. He rushed for 100 yards against Bowling Green, 117 yards against Oregon, 146 yards against Texas Tech, 130 yards against Kansas State, 122 yards against Kansas State, and 122 yards against Kansas State.

In the third quarter, Peterson had an 80-yard touchdown run and 161 yards, finishing with a career-high 249 yards against Oklahoma State. Despite dislocating his left shoulder in the first half, he was able to run for 101 yards and a touchdown on 29 attempts, his ninth straight 100-yard game against Texas A&M. He saw no action in the upcoming game against Nebraska due to his shoulder injury and finished with 58 yards, snapping his streak of consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing at nine. Peterson finished with 240 yards, three in second quarters, and tied for most 100-yard games by a freshman against Colorado. Oklahoma, one of the worst rush teams this year, has since become one of the country's best.

Despite his record-breaking season, he came in second in Heisman Trophy voting to USC quarterback Matt Leinart. Among other accolades, he was a finalist for the Doak Walker Award and the first Oklahoma freshman to be named as a first-team member of the Associated Press All-American. Peterson was a contributor to the Oklahoma Sooners' stellar regular season and was a participant in the 2005 BCS National Championship Game against the USC Trojans, which earned him a berth in the 2005 Orange Bowl. As the Trojans defeated the Sooners by a score of 55–19, USC retooled their defense to stop Peterson and limited him to 82 yards. He underwent surgery on his left shoulder to firm the muscles around the joint during the season.

Peterson's playing time was limited due to a broken foot in the 2005 season. In a 17-10 loss to TCU, he started the season off with 63 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. He had 220 passing yards and three running touchdowns in the Sooners' victory over Tulsa in the next game. In the first Big 12 Conference game of the season against Kansas State, he suffered his ankle. Despite missing time in four games, he rushed for 1,208 yards and 14 touchdowns on 220 attempts, finishing second in rushing yardage in the Big 12. In a 42–14 victory over Oklahoma State, his 2005 season was also notable for his career-long 84-yard touchdown run as part of a 237-yard and two-touchdown effort. Oklahoma's worst season since 1999 ended with an 8–4 record. He was named a member of the All-Big 12 Conference team at the conclusion of the season.

Peterson started the 2006 season off with a bang of over 150 yards per game and five total touchdowns in five games. Nelson, Peterson's father, was released from jail during the 2006 college football season and was able to watch his son as a spectator for the first time on October 14, when Oklahoma defeated Iowa State. Oklahoma defeated Iowa State in the same game; on the final drive for the Sooners, Peterson fractured his collar bone when he dove into the end zone on a 53-yard touchdown run. During a press conference on October 18, Peterson said he had been advised by doctors that he would be out for 4–6 weeks. Peterson's all-time leading rusher needed only to pass Billy Sims at the time of the accident. He was unable to return for the remainder of the Sooners' regular season and missed seven games. Allen Patrick, a junior, and Chris Brown, a freshman, will be used to replace Peterson. The team was on a seven-game winning streak, including beating the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the Big 12 Championship game. In the 2007 Fiesta Bowl's last game against Boise State, he rushed for 77 yards and a touchdown, losing in the 43–42 overtime loss. With the press, he has refused to comment on his proposals beyond the end of this season. He finished his college football career with 1,012 passing yards in his final season, despite missing multiple games due to injury for a total of 4,045 rushing yards in only three seasons. He came in third in school history and fell 73 yards shy of passing Billy Sims as the school's all-time leading rusher.

Professional career

Peterson announced on January 15, 2007 that he did not return to college to enter the 2007 NFL Draft. He was known as a tall, upright runner with a rare combination of speed, endurance, agility, size, and vision, as well as a stoutly running style when entering the league. Eric Dickerson, Walter Payton, Gale Sayers, O. J. Simpson, Franco Harris, and Jim Brown have all been compared to previous great breakaway and power runners. The media and potential NFL teams shared rumors about his injuries during college. He played in 31 games and suffered with a dislocated shoulder his first year (but he did not miss any games), a high ankle sprain his sophomore year, and a fractured collarbone in Oklahoma's final year. In their initial report, a man's tenacity was a factor that could have influenced the pick position. Peterson was compared by professional football scouts to Eric Dickerson in the 2007 NFL Draft.

Peterson, who was running between 4.38 and 440 seconds in the 40-yard dash, had a vertical jump of 38.5 inches (0.98 meters) and did well in positional drills, according to his report at the NFL Combine. He solidified his place as the draft's most likely top-ten pick, with no psychological test or team interview showing more about his mental agility than ever before.

Peterson was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft on April 28, 2007. Peterson was the first running back chosen and the first of three Oklahoma Sooners to be drafted in the 2007 NFL Draft. "My collarbone, I would say it's 90% healed," Peterson said at a press conference during the draft. A lot of teams are aware of this, but I don't see it stopping me from being ready for the season."

Peterson thought he was a star that a franchise could turn around. "I'm a player who is coming in with the determination to turn a team around," he said in an interview with IGN following the NFL Draft. I want to help my team advance to the playoffs, win...and run wild. I want to bring people to the stands. I want people to come to the game to see what I can do next. Things like that can completely change an organization's culture. "I want to win." In an interview, he told the Star Tribune later, "I want to be the best player to ever play this game." He was signed by the Vikings on July 29, 2007, almost three months after being drafted. His deal was worth $40.5 million over five years, with $17 million guarantee.

Peterson started his promising rookie year with high hopes for himself, including being named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and rushing for 1,341 yards over the year. Peterson was notably on his way to Dickerson's record and named one of the top running backs in the NFL just 11 weeks into his rookie season with the Vikings.

In his first NFL regular season game against the Atlanta Falcons on September 9, 2007, Peterson passed for 103 yards on 19 carries. On a 60-yard pass reception from quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, he not only scored his first professional football touchdown, but not before his rushing yardage. His 431 yards (271 rushing and 160 receiving) from scrimmage are a team record in his first three regular season games. Peterson was named the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for his three games in September and October 2007.

On October 14, 2007, his breakthrough game as a professional came against the Chicago Bears, highlighted by a three-touchdown effort and a then-franchise record of 224 rushing yards on 20 carries. During this game, Peterson set new franchise records for a rookie, as well as the most 100-yard games rushing and the longest touchdown run from scrimmage. He also set a new NFL rookie record by collecting 361 all-purpose yards in a single game. Eric Dickerson's 607 passing yards in the first five games of the season rank second in NFL history. For his work, he was named Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career. Following Peterson's record, Deion Sanders, now an NFL Network analyst, said of him: "He has the vision of a Marshall Faulk, the strength of an Earl Campbell, and the speed of an Eric Dickerson." Let's hope he has the tenacity of an Emmitt Smith. Jim Souhan, a television journalist, has also compared him to Walter Payton and Tony Dorsett.

Peterson rushed for 296 yards on 30 carries and three touchdowns against the San Diego Chargers on November 4, 2007, breaking his own franchise record as well as the NFL single game rushing yard record (previously held by Jamal Lewis since 2003). It was his second game of over 200 yards, the highest record in a season. In his rookie season, his extraordinary showing earned him his second Offensive Player of the Week award. It took him past 1,000 rushing yards in a single game in comparison to the NFL's record of a single game in a single season, after only eight games. His 1,036 passing yards mark the best eight-game appearance by a rookie in NFL history.

The jersey he wore that day was donated to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in honor of Peterson's record-breaking appearance against the San Diego Chargers. In a game against the Green Bay Packers on November 11, 2007, Peterson suffered the lateral collateral ligament injury in his right knee. In the third quarter of a 34-0 loss at Lambeau Field due to a missed tackle by Packers cornerback Al Harris, the injury occurred. Peterson returned to action on December 2, 2007, against the Detroit Lions, who had two touchdowns and rushing for 116 yards despite the injury.

He was named as the starting running back for the 2008 NFC Pro Bowl team on December 18, 2008. On January 2, he was named The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. For the 2007 season, he was selected to the All-Rookie Team of the Pro Football Writers Association.

Peterson received the 2008 NFL Pro Bowl MVP award with 16 carries for 129 passing yards and two touchdowns on February 10, 2008. The 129 rushing yards was the second most in Pro Bowl history. He was the first rookie to win the Pro Bowl MVP award since Marshall Faulk in 1994. Peterson and Faulk are the only NFL players to win both the NFL Pro Bowl MVP and Rookie of the Year awards in the same year. In the 2007 season, Peterson came in second place in rushing yards (1,341), behind LaDainian Tomlinson, who finished with 1,474 yards. He also caught 19 passes for 268 yards and kickoffs for 412 on 412, giving him 2,021 all-purpose yards (6th in the NFL).

Peterson and the Vikings set high hopes for the 2008 season, but as he did during his rookie season, Peterson set high hopes for himself, including a 2,000-yard campaign and the NFL MVP award. Peterson's tenacity and his potential as a quarterback of the Vikings had to be viewed with skeptical defenses off Peterson.

Peterson had a fantastic second season. He appeared in all 16 games, of which he started 15. He played ten games in a row over 100 yards to go along with ten rushing touchdowns throughout the season. His Week 10 appearance against the Green Bay Packers earned him his third week as an Offensive Player of the Week. Peterson finished third in rushing with 1,760 yards, his third-most yards in a sophomore season behind Eric Dickerson's 2,105 yard season and Chris Johnson's 2,006-yard campaign, which occurred the following season in 2009. He had 3,101 yards in Peterson's first 30 games, his third best start to a running backs career behind Eric Dickerson's 3,600 yards and Jim Brown with 3,144 yards. In his first two seasons, he was the fourth running back to lead the league in yards per game, as well as Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, and Eric Dickerson. He was named the recipient of the Bert Bell Award in honor of his 2008 season. Peterson was named to his second AP All-Pro team in two years on January 14, 2009.

The Vikings made the playoffs with a 10–6 record. In a 26-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round, Peterson had 83 running yards and two rushing touchdowns on his debut in his playoff debut.

Analysts from both the NFL Network and ESPN all agreed Peterson is the best running back in the NFL today. However, quarterback Brett Favre's arrival, as one of the best quarterbacks in NFL history, ignited both anticipation and apprehension surrounding Peterson's new role in the offense. Brad Childress, the head coach, however, said he wanted to keep leaning on Peterson while still giving him a large number of carries. Favre poured a lot of energy into the offense during the first half of the season, re-establishing Peterson's ability with a passing offense. Peterson had 917 passing yards through Week 10, while the Vikings had a record of 8-1.

Peterson led the Cleveland Browns to rushing for 180 yards on 25 attempts and three touchdowns against the Cleveland Browns, setting a new Vikings franchise record for rushing in the season opener. With 143 yards and 22 carries against the Baltimore Ravens, he reached the hundred-yard mark in Week 6 against the Baltimore Ravens. He was voted the FedEx Ground Player of the Week for his next 100 yards against the Detroit Lions on 18 carries. He finished the season with 1,383 passing yards and a season-high 18 rushing touchdowns, as well as a career-best 43 touchdowns for 436 yards.

Minnesota defeated the Dallas Cowboys by a score of 34–3 in the Divisional Round, with Peterson having 63 passing yards and a 19-yard reception. However, the New Orleans Saints, the eventual Super Bowl XLIV champions, were defeated in overtime in the NFC Championship by a score of 31–28. In the loss, Peterson rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Peterson finished fifth in rushing and missing FedEx Ground Player of the Year to Titans running back Chris Johnson, who had 2,006 passing yards on the 2009 season. On December 29, Peterson was voted to his third straight Pro Bowl. He was the first running back for the NFC team. He was named as a first-team All-Pro for the second year in a row.

Peterson started the 2010 season with 392 yards and three touchdowns in the first three weeks. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his Week 3 appearance against the Detroit Lions, with 160 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns. His 80-yard rush touchdown in the third quarter was tied for the longest rush by any player this season. He passed over the Dallas Cowboys' 5,000 yard rush record in Week 6. He was the sixth fastest to reach the 5,000-yard plateau. Peterson led the Vikings to second place in the league with 684 yards per game, average 114 yards per game, but the Vikings were defeated by a disappointing record of 2–4. As the Vikings improved to a 6–9 record, Peterson had rushed for 1,267 yards with 12 touchdowns by Week 16. Peterson, who was known for fumbling the ball in previous seasons, saw a dramatic change in the 2010 season, with just one fumble during the regular season, a dramatic departure from his previous appearances. Although the Vikings did not qualify for the playoffs, Peterson starred for his team in the Pro Bowl. Peterson was voted as the third-ranked player and top overall running back by his colleagues on the NFL Network's list of the Top 100 Players of 2011.

The Vikings cut Peterson for $96 million over the course of seven seasons, making him the highest-paid running back in NFL history. In a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Peterson reached the 6,000-yard mark on September 18, 2011. Peterson scored three touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals in the first quarter on October 9, a new franchise record. He was awarded NFC Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts during the game. Peterson sustained a high ankle sprain late in the first quarter during a Week 10 game against the Oakland Raiders. He was later suspended from their Week 11 match against the Atlanta Falcons.

In a Week 16 game against the Washington Redskins, Peterson was injured by safety DeJon Gomes and needed assistance off the field. After undergoing a torn ACL and MCL injury, he was put on injured reserve on December 26, 2012.

Peterson failed to post a 1,000-yard season in his first season as a professional athlete, despite playing only 12 games during the year. He was ranked eighth by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012.

Peterson started against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, but his status was uncertain. In his first game in eight months after his ACL and MCL injury, he rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns. Robert Smith was named the most rushing yards in franchise history by him. In the 21–14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, he had 153 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. For the sixth time in his career, he was named Offensive Player of the Week. In the 30-20 loss, he had 182 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Seattle Seahawks on November 4. In a 34–24 victory over the Detroit Lions in the second divisional matchup, he followed that up with 171 passing yards and a touchdown. In the 23–14 loss to the Green Bay Packers on December 2, he had 210 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. In Week 14, against the Chicago Bears, he had 154 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns to earn another Offensive Player of the Week nod. In Week 15, against the St. Louis Rams, he had 212 passing yards and a rushing touchdown. With 1,898 yards and averaging 6.0 yards per carry, Peterson was leading the NFL in rushing by Week 16 with 1,898 yards and averaging 6.0 yards per week. In addition, he had 11 touchdowns and 215 passing yards.

He needed 208 yards to smash the NFL single-season record for the most rushing yards (2,105), which was set in 1984 by Eric Dickerson. The Vikings traveled to Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a win clinching a playoff spot. In the fourth quarter, Peterson ran for 26 yards, setting the Vikings up for a game-winning field goal with three seconds remaining. The Vikings selected the field goal, but they also left Peterson nine yards shy of breaking the record. Peterson finished with 861 yards in December, the most for a single month in NFL history. As a result, he was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for December. Peterson was the second (Earl Campbell, 1980) to rush for 150 or more yards in seven games during an NFL season, with 1,019 yards after contact. He finished the 2012 season with 348 passes for 2,097 yards, his second-most rushing yards in a single season. Peterson was the seventh player in NFL history to reach 2,000 yards. The Vikings went from 3-13-13 to ten-6, qualifying as the NFC's sixth seed in the playoffs. The Vikings lost by a score of 24–10 to the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round, with Vikings starting quarterback Christian Ponder unable to start due to injury. The team's success, as well as Peterson's great season, earned him the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and the NFL Most Valuable Player accolades. In addition,, he received the Bert Bell Award for the second time in his career. His comeback from an ACL tear the season before winning second place in NFL Comeback Player of the Year award voting, coming in second place to Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning in second place. For the third time, he was named to his fifth Pro Bowl career and was named as a first-team All-Pro. Peterson underwent surgery for a sports hernia after the season was over. Starting in the last quarter of the season, Peterson suffered from this injury. He was ranked as the best player in the NFL amongst his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013.

Peterson began his 2013 season by throwing for his first carry of the year – 78 yards for a touchdown. In the 34-24 loss to the Detroit Lions, he finished the game with 18 passes for 93 yards and two rushing touchdowns. Peterson struggled in the first three games of the season without All-Pro fullback Jerome Felton, but Peterson rushed for 140 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Peterson cancelled practice on October 10 for a "personal reason," and it was later revealed that his son was in critical condition. Peterson's son died as a result of an assault, presumably by the mother's live-in boyfriend. The child was two years old at the time. Despite the loss and time spent answering endless media calls, he played against the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers defeated the Vikings by a score of 35–10. He had 140 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Dallas Cowboys on November 3. He had 146 passing yards and a rushing touchdown against the Green Bay Packers on November 24, in a 26-26 tie. In the 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on December 1, he had 211 passing yards. Peterson was the highest rusher against the Bears in his career. He became the third fastest player to reach the record. Peterson finished with 1,266 yards and 10 touchdowns in just 14 games, his fifth highest rush yardage total for the season. As a result of his good season, he was named to his sixth Pro Bowl appearance. He was ranked fourth by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 for his fourth straight appearance in the top ten in the players' rankings.

In a 34–6 road victory over the St. Louis Rams, Peterson started the 2014 season by passing for 75 yards on 21 attempts. Peterson was arrested on child violence allegations and was later suspended for Minnesota's Week 2 match against the New England Patriots on September 12, 2014. The Vikings recalled Peterson on September 15, despite the child exploitation charges. He was supposed to play against the New Orleans Saints. However, Peterson was drafted on the NFL's Exemption/Commissioner's Permission List on September 17, a similar transaction to the Restricted List in which Peterson was required to "remain away from all team duties." Peterson planned to return as early as Week 11 after signing a plea agreement in early November. Peterson will be suspended for the remainder of the 2014 season without compensation, according to the NFL on November 18. Peterson's league appeal was upheld in December, and he was scheduled for a federal court appeal hearing on February 6, 2015. Despite his tumultuous season, he came in 62nd by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015, down 58 spots from the previous season.

After U.S. District Court Judge David Doty heard in Peterson's case against the NFL on his behalf, he was reinstated to the league on February 26, 2015. On June 2, Peterson returned to the Vikings. In a 20-3 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Peterson faltered in his first game back, throwing the ball ten times for 31 yards. In Week 2, he returned to form against the Detroit Lions, totaling 134 yards on 29 attempts (his eighth 100+ yard rushing game against the Lions in his career). With Peterson's average of 106 yards per game and eight touchdowns, the Vikings got off to an 8-3 start. Peterson's game against the Oakland Raiders on November 15, during which he ran 26 times for 203 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown run. This was his sixth game in his career, tying for the most in history with O.J. Simpson. In the 20–10 victory over the Atlanta Falcons, he had 158 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month for the second time in his career.

Peterson's season came to an end, with 100 yards only once passing 100 yards in the last five regular season games and one playoff game. In Week 14, Peterson scored his 100th touchdown in the first quarter of a narrow 23–20 loss on the road against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 14. The Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers in Week 17 of the NFC North Division Championship. Peterson regained a Teddy Bridgewater fumble late in regulation to help preserve the 20-13 victory. Peterson was just the third player in the NFL over the age of 30 to lead the NFL in single-season rushing yards. He had a season-high 327 passes for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns. He captured his third title in his career, becoming the first player to do the feat three times since Barry Sanders. For the fourth time, he was selected as a first-team All-Pro for his seventh year in Pro Bowling. He was ranked as the best running back and fifth best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 list. In the narrow 10–9 home loss, he had 45 passing yards, 12 receiving yards, and a fumble.

In a 25-16 victory over the Tennessee Titans, Peterson began the 2016 season on a low note with just 31 rushing yards on 19 carries. Peterson rushed for 19 yards against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football in Week 2. It was revealed that the right knee had a torn meniscus the next day. Peterson underwent successful surgery on September 22 to repair the meniscus. The knee also had a mild LCL sprain, but not require surgery, according to the article. On September 23, 2016, he was put on wounded reserve and was put on a sick reserve. Peterson was activated by the Vikings on December 17 to the active roster. In Week 15, the Indianapolis Colts returned to action. Despite only playing three games, Peterson was still ranked 98th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017.

The Vikings announced on February 28, 2017 that they did not exercise Peterson's 2017 option on his deal, making him a free agent in the 2017 league season. If the Vikings had opted for the option, they would have had to pay him $18 million for the 2017 season. Peterson's time with the Vikings ended with him leading the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns during the 2010 season and into 2016.

Peterson signed a two-year, $7 million contract with the New Orleans Saints on April 25, 2017, which included a $2.5 million signing bonus.

Peterson appeared in his first game against the Minnesota Vikings, his former team. As the Saints lost by a margin of 29-19 on Monday Night Football, he was limited to only 18 rushing yards on six carries. Vikings rookie Dalvin Cook set a new record for rushing yards on his debut in the team's first game, a record not held by Peterson himself. Peterson rushed for 81 yards on 27 attempts in four games, one of which he started with the Saints.

Peterson was traded to the Arizona Cardinals on October 10, 2017 for a conditional sixth-round draft pick. In a 38–33 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 15, he played for 134 yards and two touchdowns in his first game with the Cardinals, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time since Week 14 of the 2012 season. As the Cardinals defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Week 9, Peterson put on another good showing with a career-high 37 carries for 159 yards. He was out for Weeks 13 and 14 due to a neck injury, and was later placed on injured reserve on December 15, 2017. He had 529 passing yards, two rushing touchdowns, 11 touchdowns, and 70 receiving yards in the 2017 season. Peterson was announced on March 13, 2018.

On August 20, 2018, Peterson agreed to a one-year, veteran minimum contract with the Washington Redskins. Following a string of preseason injuries to their running backs, he was signed. In Washington's regular-season opener for the Arizona Cardinals on September 9, 2018, Peterson passed for 96 yards on 26 attempts and two passes for another 70 yards. Peterson soared to the top ten on the career rushing yards list with 12,372 yards over Jim Brown. In the 24–6 victory over the Cardinals, he scored his 100th touchdown, putting him in a three-way tie for seventh place on the career rushing touchdowns list. Peterson had 19 carries for 120 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns in Week 3, defeating the Green Bay Packers 31-17. Peterson rushed for 149 yards on 26 carries, including a 64-yard touchdown in a 20–13 win over the New York Giants, earning him the NFC Offensive Player of the Week Award in Week 8. In Week 13, Peterson was against the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night Football, a career-high 90-yard rush touchdown. Peterson went for 119 yards on 26 attempts against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark on the season. Peterson finished eighth on the career rushing yards list with 13,318 yards in the game. Peterson, one of five NFL players to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, played for 53 or older. In addition,, he was the first player to reach the record since John Riggins in 1984. In the regular season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles, Peterson was held to no yards on four plays, his fourth total touchdowns on the season.

Peterson re-signed with the Washington Redskins on March 13, 2019. Peterson, who was a healthy scratch in Week 1, was supposed to start as a starter after suffering a knee injury to starter Derrius Guice. In Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys, he got off to a good start. Peterson rushed for his 107th touchdown in his career, defeating Jim Brown for fifth on the all-time running touchdown list. Peterson defeated Jerome Bettis and LaDainian Tomlinson for their sixth all-time rushing yards list in Week 8.

Peterson defeated Curtis Martin for his fifth all-time rushing yards, as well as being the tenth player in NFL history to reach 3,000 career rushing attempts and tie Walter Payton for fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns with 110. Peterson finished the season with 211 passes for 898 yards and five touchdowns, as well as five interceptions for 142 yards. He played in two games with more than 100 passing yards. He was the recipient of the Art Rooney Award. In the 2010s, Peterson was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame All-Decade Team. He was released by the team on September 4, 2020.

Peterson agreed to a one-year $1.05 million deal with the Detroit Lions on September 6, 2020. In a 27–23 loss to the Chicago Bears, he ran 14 times for 93 yards and had three receptions for 21 receiver yards in his first game for the Lions. In the 41-35 loss, he had 15 rush yards and two rushing touchdowns against the Houston Texans. Peterson rushed for 57 yards and two touchdowns against the Chicago Bears in Week 13, including the game winner late in the fourth quarter during the 34–30 victory. Peterson appeared in 16 games and started ten games for the Lions in 2020. He worked with D'Andre Swift and Kerryon Johnson in the backfield throughout the season. He had 156 attempts for 604 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Tennessee Titans signed Peterson to their practice squad on November 2, 2021, following an injury to running back Derrick Henry. On November 5, 2021, he was called to the active roster. In his team's debut against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 9, he scored his first rushing touchdown as a Titan. The Titans cut Peterson off on November 23, 2021.

Peterson was signed to the Seattle Seahawks practice squad on December 1, 2021. Peterson was activated from the practice squad for the Seattle Seahawks' Week 13 match against the San Francisco 49ers, which the Seahawks defeated 30–23. In that game, Peterson scored a rushing touchdown and tied Jim Brown for tenth on the all-time rushing touchdowns list with 126. Peterson became the first football player to score a touchdown with six different franchises. He was inactive for the remaining five games of the 2021 season. He became a free agent on January 17, 2022, and was officially licensed.

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