Once the 2016 NFL season came to an end, skepticism surrounding Adrian Peterson and his future with the Minnesota Vikings had already started building for multiple reasons. Think of a contract situation, growing belief that the veteran running back was no longer in his prime, and Peterson himself had also begun hinting at moving on from Minnesota. But most importantly, Peterson has now revealed that one of the biggest reasons behind his 2017 departure from the Vikings was then-head coach Mike Zimmer.

“When I was leaving there, I just felt disrespected by the head coach. Not the organization or anything like that, just the head coach. Me and him kinda had had a few words respectfully, I was just like ‘alright it was probably best for me to do something different,” Peterson said this week.

Peterson’s breakup with Minnesota came after an injury-marred 2016 season. The veteran running back opened the year quietly, rushing for only 31 yards on 19 carries against the Tennessee Titans. But the following week against the Green Bay Packers, Peterson exited the game with an apparent knee injury that was later diagnosed as a torn meniscus requiring surgery.

Minnesota eventually placed Peterson on injured reserve, and he did not return until the Week 15 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. At that point, the Vikings were desperately trying to stay alive in the playoff race. But after losing the game and officially falling out of contention, the relationship between Peterson and Zimmer reportedly became rocky.

According to reports, Zimmer still wanted Peterson to play during the final two weeks of the season despite Minnesota no longer being in playoff contention. Peterson, meanwhile, argued he did not want to risk further damaging his health or re-aggravating the knee injury after just returning from surgery. Eventually, the veteran running back became frustrated by what he viewed as the coaching staff questioning his commitment.

“The next week, coach wanted me to play again. I was like, ‘Coach, I just came back from tearing my meniscus. It’s my first game. We have no chance to make the playoffs. Why would I get out there and risk hurting myself?” Peterson revealed last year…That was 2016, and my contract was up too, you know, so I could have easily been like, ‘I’m just gonna shut it down in Week 3 after the injury and just, whatever, recover.’

“But that’s not my mentality. And he challenged me. He was like, ‘Well, I feel like, if you was able to play last week, then you’re able to come out and play now. And I was like, ‘I would do that if we really had a chance to make it to the playoffs, but we don’t, and I’m not gonna go out here and risk hurting myself for a pointless game.’ And he was like, well I just rather you had not played last game’, and this, that and the other.”

Following the 2016 season, the Vikings made it clear they would not exercise Peterson’s contract option for 2017. Had they done so, Minnesota would have owed the veteran running back roughly $18 million. Instead, Peterson entered free agency during the 2017 offseason before eventually signing with the New Orleans Saints.

So, despite being the former seventh overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft and one of the greatest players in franchise history, Adrian Peterson ultimately ended his Vikings tenure feeling disrespected by his head coach. Still, even after leaving the franchise on a sour note, Minnesota has now announced a major update involving its former star running back.

The Vikings will reward Adrian Peterson for his services

Following the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings recently invited Adrian Peterson to speak with the team’s rookies. At the same time, though, fellow Vikings legend John Randle surprised Peterson with the news that Minnesota will officially induct the former running back into the franchise’s Ring of Honor during the 2026 season.

“From the moment we selected Adrian in the 2007 NFL Draft, he proved to be a transformational player for the Minnesota Vikings,” owner and president Mark Wilf said in a statement. “His historic 2012 MVP season will be rightfully remembered by fans, but Adrian’s consistent production over 10 seasons in Minnesota is what firmly established him as an all-time Viking and one of the greatest to ever play this game.”

Peterson spent the first 10 years of his NFL career in Minnesota after the Vikings selected him during the 2007 NFL Draft. Across a decade with the franchise, the veteran running back appeared in 123 games, started 116, rushed for 11,747 yards, and scored 97 rushing touchdowns. His tenure also included the legendary 2012 season when Peterson rushed for 2,097 yards and 12 touchdowns before winning both the NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards.

Beyond that, Peterson also earned seven Pro Bowl selections and four First-Team All-Pro honors during his time with Minnesota. And now, because of everything he accomplished with the franchise, Adrian Peterson will officially join fellow Vikings running backs and Ring of Honor members Chuck Foreman and Bill Brown later this season.