The game of chicken Adrian Peterson is playing with the Vikings doesn’t look like it will be coming to an end any time in the near future.
While the Vikings haven’t publicly commented on Peterson since the NFL Draft, when General Manager Rick Spielman said the door was closed on the possibility of Peterson being traded, the running back hasn’t backed down from his stance that he wants to play elsewhere.
Read more about Peterson’s refusal to show up for (voluntary) organized team activities this week right here.
But now the retirement word is coming back into play. Peterson openly discussed the idea in an interview with ESPN in December. His words at the time were:
“I’ve considered retiring from the NFL,” Peterson said. “I still made $8 million dollars this year. I’ve thought about getting back into the real estate (business in Texas) I’m already in. That’s something I’ve been interested in, something I’m involved in. I’ve thought about getting back into that. I’ve thought about going after the Olympics — you only live once. It might be time for me to pursue that, as well. I love playing football, don’t get me wrong, but this situation is deeper than that. For me, it’s like, ‘Why should I continue to be a part of an organization or a business that handles players the way they do? Making money off the field anyway, why not continue to pursue that (Olympic) dream and pursue other dreams and hang up the cleats?'”
Now, CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora reports that Peterson is once again mulling retirement and will “go to great lengths” to avoid playing for the Vikings again.
Adrian Peterson has vented to some close to him about retirement. He and agent Ben Dogra won't go back to MIN meekly: http://t.co/esLREzqaWk
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) May 26, 2015
However, as La Canfora notes, Peterson doesn’t have any leverage and by the time next season rolls around, all Peterson and his agent, Ben Dogra, might be able to gain is some guaranteed money and/or incentives to the three years remaining on his contract; but a trade is highly unlikely.
“So the end game is probably what it always was in this case — Peterson creates an ongoing headache for the Vikings, works in aggressive and passive-aggressive ways through his agent to stir the pot, and maybe in the end gets a little richer for it.”
Barry Sanders retired in his prime. Hard to imagine @AdrianPeterson walking away from $46M, potential HOF, competing for SB at age 30
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdNFL) May 26, 2015
25 days ago Ben Dogra said Adrian Peterson wanted to 'retire as a Viking'. He's a man of his word!
— Brandon Mileski (@BrandonMileski) May 26, 2015
