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Adrian Peterson believes he can play until he is 40

By John Buhler

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 27: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball during an NFL game against the New York Giants at TCF Bank Stadium December 27, 2015 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Dahlin/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 27: Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings carries the ball during an NFL game against the New York Giants at TCF Bank Stadium December 27, 2015 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Tom Dahlin/Getty Images) /
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Adrian Peterson is an absolute physical specimen of an athlete, but can the Minnesota Vikings running back really play in the NFL until he is 40 years old?

Although the running back position has been greatly devalued in the NFL in the last decade or so, there is no denying that Minnesota Vikings’ All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson is one of the greatest physical specimens to have ever played the position.

This guy tore his ACL in Week 17 of the 2011 NFL season only to come back in 2012 and nearly eclipse Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record en route to another playoff appearance for the Vikings.

Peterson turned 31 years old in March, and while many NFL star running backs would have already begun to decay physically before their 30th birthdays, Peterson seriously thinks he can play until he’s 40 years old.

Peterson told Monday Morning Quarterback’s editor-in-chief Peter King of Sports Illustrated, “I honestly think I can do this, and do it at a high level, till I’m 40.” Peterson does hint to King that he will likely retire a few years before his 40th birthday, citing how mentally tough it might be to play in the NFL for that long.

From the way Peterson spoke to King, it seems incredibly likely that Peterson will play at least five more years in the NFL, probably with the Vikings on the quest of winning the first Lombardi Trophy in franchise history.

Peterson is the perfect example of a once-in-a-generation type of running back. The closest thing to Peterson since he went No. 7 overall to Minnesota in the 2007 NFL Draft out of the University of Oklahoma is former Georgia Bulldogs running back Todd Gurley of the Los Angeles Rams, who went No. 10 to the Rams in the 2015 NFL Draft.

For Peterson to realistically think about playing in the NFL through the 2025 season, he simply cannot continue to take on the bell cow back workload put on him with the Vikings. Physically, Peterson could manage alright with a brutal workload until he’s 35. After that, each snap will be precious.

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