30 best NFL running backs of the 21st century

2. Adrian Peterson, 2007-2021
Minnesota Vikings, New Orleans Saints, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Football Team, Detroit Lions, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks

The number-two entry on this list also has probably the most teams played for of anyone on this list. It seemed like Adrian Peterson was trying his hardest to rise up the all-time rushing rankings. He finished his career in fifth place with just under 15,000 yards rushing. We believe he’s retired, but technically, he is still an active player because he hasn’t put in his retirement papers. Maybe he can catch Barry Sanders, but we doubt a team gives him another opportunity. He’s running out of new teams anyway.

Despite the weird end, Peterson had one of the greatest rushing careers ever. He had a chance to be the best ever, but we’ll get to those issues soon. Peterson was literally everything on the football field. He was as strong as he was fast. He could elude tacklers or run through them. It was dealer’s choice. 

Peterson was the second-team All-Pro in his ROOKIE SEASON. He obviously won Offensive Rookie of the Year after rushing for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. The next season, he led the league with 1,760 yards, was a first-team All-Pro and finished fourth in MVP voting. 

Peterson finally got himself an MVP in 2012, beating out Manning with over 2,000 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns. He had more than 1,500 scrimmage yards six times. He had his final 1,000-yard season at 33 years old with Washington. He did all this while losing time to suspensions for alleged child abuse allegations. If he stayed out of trouble, he’d easily be ahead of Sanders and might be looking at the best career of this era.