Adrian Peterson to sit out remainder of 2016 preseason
By Jason Parker
After sitting out the first two games, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is making it a clean sweep and sitting out the last two games as well.
This week, all 32 NFL teams will play their third game of the 2016 preseason. As is tradition, the third game is usually the one where starters play the most and teams act as if they are in an actually regular season game they are trying to win.
In the case of the Minnesota Vikings, the man who will be starting the season at running back won’t be on the field this week – or next week for that matter. Adrian Peterson, who sat out the team’s first two games, is going to finish things off by not playing a down this preseason according to the St. Paul Pioneer Press (via NBC Sports’ Pro Football Talk):
"“I just really thought about it and didn’t feel like it was the best thing in my interest, knowing that I can be ready for the first week against Tennessee, like I’ve done a thousand times in the past. That’s pretty much what it came down to.”"
It’s not a shocker that Peterson won’t be stepping on the field for the games that don’t count: the last time he actually registered a play was in 2013 and the last time he carried the ball was in 2011.
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Entering is 10th season, the 31-year-old doesn’t have anything left to prove for a Vikings team that is going to need him if they are to repeat as NFC North champions this season. It’s pretty safe to say that he will be the starting running back when they travel to take on the Tennessee Titans during opening weekend.