The NFL future for running back Adrian Peterson just got cloudier.
The Minnesota Vikings have maintained in recent weeks that they are happy to welcome Peterson back to the club should he be reinstated in April. However, it appears that Peterson may not share the sentiment. Peterson spoke to ESPN on Thursday night and revealed that he is "still uneasy" about his potential return to Minnesota for the 2015 season. He cited Minnesota's willingness to work with the NFL to place him on the commissioner's exempt list last September as an example of a lack of support. Peterson said that move was an "ambush" and that "There were people (in the organization) that I trusted, who knew exactly what was said, that weren't heard from" throughout the process.
"They weren't able to do anything about it," Peterson said.
"It's hard to say (what my future will be). I love Minnesota. There are people that have had my back, and supported me. Last year, with the things that took place, had a lot of fans that supported me through everything. For the fans, I would definitely love to come back, but then again, it's a business, when it comes down to business, you can't get caught up in the loyalty to fans or to a team or anything like that. You know how it is in the NFL. I learned a lot through this process. I'm still uneasy, to be honest with you. I'm still uneasy about a lot of things that took place within the organization. Of course those guys ultimately supported me, and I'm grateful for that. But ultimately, with me being able to be on the inside and see how cards were dealt, how things were worded, this, that and the other, it's about protecting your brand, your organization, what you have built. In the (grand) scheme of things, not one person counts over that. I get that."
The 29-year-old running back knows he wants to play in the NFL in 2015. He just isn't sure if he wants to play with the Vikings, with whom he's spent his entire eight-year career.
"It shows you can have all the loyalty toward someone and toward an organization, a fanbase, but when things really shift and it's you or the empire, they're gonna put you out on a leash," Peterson said. "I said, 'Of course (I would love to come back to the Vikings, after a court hearing in Minneapolis on Feb. 6).' I said it. But my emotions, as far as those things I feel, those are for players like (linebacker) Chad Greenway, those guys that play the game just like me, that have the same passion I have, the same goal I have, to win a championship. That's where it comes from. It don't come from the organization. I'm not in a good place when it comes to that."
Peterson is still under contract with the Vikings for 2015 and set to have a cap hit of more than $15 million. While Minnesota brass has been consistently positive in its comments regarding Peterson's future with the team, it wouldn't be a surprise if it approaches the 2012 MVP with a possible restructuring. However, Peterson said in December that he isn't interested in taking a pay cut, which could lead to a showdown between the two sides.
"It's way deeper than that," Peterson said when asked if his issue with the organization could be solved in a constructive sit-down. "It's definitely not that easy. In any situation, people will say what they need to say to make things better. I discovered that a long time ago.
"I know there are a lot of people in the organization who want me back," he said. "But then again, I know the ones who don't. It's a difficult transition, and it's not just about me. I have a wife who was able to sit back and see how people in Minnesota said this and said that, how media in Minnesota took the head of the situation with my child, and were digging into things that weren't even relevant. That wasn't people in Texas - it was people in Minnesota that dug in and brought things out. That impacted me, but most importantly, it impacted the people around me - my family, my kids. This came from the state I love so much, that I wish to bring a championship to? This is how they treat me when I'm down and out? You kick me? My wife (and I), we've had several conversations about me returning to Minnesota, what the best options are. If I left it up to her, I'd be somewhere else today, and that's with her weighing everything. It's a lot for me to weigh; she understands that. But there are some things that I'm still uneasy about."
If Peterson and the Vikings decide they cannot continue together, running back-needy teams such as the Arizona Cardinals or San Diego Chargers could potentially be interested him. Peterson has also been linked to the Dallas Cowboys.
