Adrian Peterson might not be done playing in the NFL, but his time with Washington has come to an end. The longtime Vikings running back will be released by the team, a day ahead of when clubs must have their rosters down to 53 players. NFL Media was the first to report the news of Peterson’s release.
Peterson, 35, rushed for 898 yards on 211 carries (a 4.3-yard average) with five touchdowns last season and caught 17 passes for 142 yards in his second year with Washington. He had rushed for 1,042 yards on 251 carries in 2018 with the team. He was set to make a base salary of $2.25 million this season and the move will save Washington $2.5 million in cap space.
“It kind of blindsided me,” Peterson told 106.7 The Fan on Friday. “I got a call from Coach (Ron) Rivera this morning, he told me to come in and see him.”
Peterson has now played for New Orleans, Arizona and Washington since leaving the Vikings after the 2016 season. It’s unlikely his career is finished, at least if he has something to say about it. Pro Football Talk reported that a couple of teams already have inquired about Peterson.
Peterson is the Vikings’ all-time leading rusher with 11,747 yards on 2,418 carries and 97 touchdowns in 123 games over 10 years. He is fifth in NFL history in rushing yards with 14,216.