By Chris Schad
The number 30 has to be one of the most feared numerical sequences among NFL running backs. For years, we’ve seen elite running backs hit this age and see their performance on the field take a sharp decline.
Because of this, many Minnesota Vikings fans thought it was odd that Adrian Peterson would throw a birthday party where he rode out on a camel. Sure, everybody deserves an ice cream cake or a giant ice cream bar that would even make Genie say, “Slow down, bud,” but this was a man that was staring the dreaded 30-burger in the face last March? Shouldn’t he have come out in a hearse or something?
Well, Peterson isn’t your average running back and his situation heading into 30 isn’t an average situation.
After what was technically a year-long suspension after being indicted on child abuse charges, the star running back will have gone a full year without game action by the time the season opener against the San Francisco 49ers rolls around on Sept. 14. According to Peterson, he seems to believe that the year off will help his return to the field.
“I would have loved to be out there with the guys [last year],” Peterson told reporters after reporting to OTAs Tuesday morning. “But with that I got a year of recovery. My body was just able to recover and rest physically and mentally.”
It would be hard to argue with Peterson as the seasons leading up to 2014 weren’t exactly kind. The former All-Pro missed a total of eight games from 2010 to 2013 and even during his record-breaking 2012 campaign coming off of a torn ACL, he still played through a sports hernia over the final two months of the season.
With 1,118 carries over that time frame, a break probably wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to his body and Peterson has been reaping the benefits while training during his layoff.
“There are young guys that I work out with in Houston,” Peterson explained. “Younger guys like 24, 25 and first-year guys that are going to play, and I outrun them, outjump them and everything else.”
Peterson’s coach, Mike Zimmer, didn’t buy the age-30 wall for a second thanks to his running back’s incredible track record.
“This guy is a Hall of Fame player,” Zimmer stated. “He’s not just a guy to come in off the street, this guy is really, really special, and I love his heart and his competitiveness, the way he wants to win, the way he wants this team to compete for what we all want to win.”
Of course, being a NFL running back is a two-way street. It’s one thing to take the constant pounding that comes with it, but it’s another to learn an offensive scheme after watching it from the sidelines for a year.
Peterson was excited to be the centerpiece for Norv Turner’s scheme a year ago, but the excitement was derailed after an average 75-yard performance in Week 1. While pass protection and other nuances could be an issue, the Vikings are hoping that the one play he can get down immediately is taking the ball and rushing toward the end zone.
“There’s really not a prettier sight than when he has the ball in his hands.” Zimmer stated.
There will have to be extra work for Peterson to get the mental reps down, but once he does many are expecting the same player despite hitting 30 and taking a year off from football.
“Age is just a number.” Peterson said. “It’s all about how you view it mentally.”