Adrian Peterson’s Dad: ‘He Is Open To Returning To The Vikings’

2012 NFL MVP Adrian Peterson told The St. Paul Pioneer Press on Feb. 23 that his son is “open to returning to the (Minnesota) Vikings.”

Adrian Peterson could be back with the Minnesota Vikings in 2015. 

Peterson’s father, Nelson, refuted a CBSSports.com story written by Jason La Canfora which narrates an alleged shouting match between Peterson’s agent, Ben Dogra, and Vikings vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski, per The St. Paul Pioneer Press‘ Chris Tomasson and Brian Murphy. La Canfora’s source said Peterson “will never play another game for the Vikings.”

However, Nelson Peterson told Tomasson and Murphy that claim isn’t true at all. He said,”He is open to returning to the Vikings. He hasn’t closed the door (and said), ‘I won’t play for the Vikings. He hasn’t demanded a trade.'”

When The St. Paul Pioneer Press tried to reach out to Brezinkski seeking a comment, he did return its telephone call. A team spokesman declined comment on the matter.

On the issue of returning to Minnesota, Peterson told the media on Feb. 6, “Of course.” However, he told ESPN last week he is “still uneasy” about reporting to the Vikings because he thought there are some in the organization who don’t want him back. 

Vikings owner and president Mark Wilf, chief operating officer Kevin Warren and general manager Rick Spielman were all unanimous in saying they would welcome their star running back in 2015, per Tomasson and Murphy.

However, Nelson Peterson told The St. Paul Pioneer Press he believes Warren is one of the individuals who wanted his son off the field last season. The older Peterson also said his son has no issues with Vikings fans:

“Kevin Warren was a major player in the push last year to not have Adrian reinstated. We had our sources that we knew that Kevin wasn’t working for Adrian to get him back on the field and was working to keep Adrian off the field.

“Adrian was referring to people that were kicking him when he was down. It’s not the fans of Minnesota; it was people like Kevin Warren and those type of people, the Cris Carter-type of person, those type of people that he felt could have came to him (and) helped him.”

Rift between Adrian Peterson, #Vikings is widening but his dad says he’s open to returning. http://t.co/8GjBBjSZOn pic.twitter.com/zGmc3GIjyN— Pioneer Press (@PioneerPress) February 23, 2015

In the CBS Sports report, Jason La Canfora’s sources tell him former Tampa Bay Buccaneers general manager Mark Dominik had to separate Dogra from Brzezinski during their altercation at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis last week. Neither Dogra nor Dominik could be reached for comment. 

Warren was the subject of the dispute between Dogra and Brzezinski, per The St. Paul Pioneer Press. 

According to the CBS Sports update, Peterson “has lost faith and trust in the franchise after a tumultuous ordeal over his child abuse charges that resulted in him missing nearly the entire season on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while his legal situation played out.”

The Vikings suspended Peterson in Sept. 2014 when he was given an indictment on a felony child abuse charge in Texas. He eventually admitted to disciplining his son with a switch (a tree branch). Peterson’s charge was pleaded down to reckless misdemeanor assault on Nov. 4, per Tomasson and Murphy.

The St. Paul Pioneer Press update then says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Peterson for the rest of the 2014 NFL season two weeks after he was given the reckless misdemeanor assault. Goodell also made it known to Peterson he can only apply for reinstatement on April 15, 2015. The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) countered by suing the NFL in order to reinstate Peterson at the soonest possible time. The verdict is expected to be known by next month. 

La Canfora stresses the Vikings dealing or releasing Peterson “results in no significant cap ramifications.” Should he wind up playing for another team, Minnesota gets an extra $13 million in salary cap space. Peterson is still owed $48 million over the next three seasons.

One potential new destination for Peterson is the Dallas Cowboys. Bleacher Report’s Jason Cole reported on Feb. 21 that Peterson is interested in suiting up for Jerry Jones’ team.   

The 29-year-old Peterson has rushed for 10,190 yards and 86 touchdowns in 104 career games with the Minnesota Vikings, per ESPN stats. 

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