Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Tim Weaver

Seahawks RB Adrian Peterson officially becomes a free agent today

The Seahawks have made a habit of signing iconic players at the very end of their careers. In the past, legends like Jerry Rice and Terrell Owens made very brief stops in Seattle as theirs were coming to an end. We can now add Adrian Peterson to that list.

Once the undisputed best running back in football, Peterson was the last non-QB to win the league’s MVP award and was a four-time All Pro. The best of his days came a long time ago with the Vikings and he didn’t last long with the Titans earlier this season. However, the Seahawks were desperate for a running back heading into December so they signed him to their practice squad.

Peterson only played one game in a Seattle uniform, totaling just 16 yards on 11 carries but still managing to earn a Hall of Famer worthy headline by tying Jim Brown’s career touchdown total. Peterson suffered some sort of a back injury in that game and was never on the field again this year.

However, Peterson had one last golden egg to lay for these Seahawks. It came in the form of inspiration for Rashaad Penny, who has credited Peterson’s influence for his outrageously productive late-season surge.

While it made for a great story, the Peterson/Seahawks marriage is officially over – at least for now. Today players on the practice squads of NFL teams who did not make the playoffs became free agents, including Peterson.

So, what’s next for All Day?

Given the way things went for Peterson in Seattle and Tennessee, it’s tough to envision another team giving him a real chance at playing time in 2022. Peterson was a one-in-a-million athlete in his prime but whatever juice he had is clearly spent for the 36-year old back, who’s played 184 career regular season games.

If Peterson wants to stick around, the Seahawks should offer him a chance to join their coaching staff. Even if he’s only there to effectively serve as Rashaad Penny’s muse, he’ll be worth every penny and a lot more.

Coach Pete Carroll told reporters a few weeks back that the team has talked to Peterson about coaching, but for now he wants to focus on playing.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.