A normal view of U.S. Financial institution Stadium and the close by Viking ship show is proven on Sep. 23, 2018, in Minneapolis earlier than the Minnesota Vikings hosted the Buffalo Payments. The stadium has served because the franchise’s dwelling since 2016 and stays one of many NFL’s most recognizable trendy venues due to its angular glass design and downtown Minneapolis setting. Obligatory Credit score: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
The final time a non-quarterback received the MVP award was 14 years in the past, a person by the identify of Adrian Peterson. And as of 2026, Peterson has earned placement within the Minnesota Vikings’ Ring of Honor.
Minnesota simply made an apparent franchise choice official.
Peterson’s Place Amongst Vikings Greats Is Locked In
What’s your favourite Peterson second?
Adrian Peterson runs in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers on Dec. 30, 2012, on the Metrodome in Minneapolis throughout one of many defining performances of his MVP season. Peterson powered the Vikings into the postseason that afternoon, ending simply wanting Eric Dickerson’s single-season dashing report whereas cementing one of many biggest campaigns by a working again in NFL historical past. Obligatory Credit score: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Peterson to Vikings’ ROH
It’s official, as The Athletic‘s Alec Lewis wrote Monday, “The Minnesota Vikings will induct legendary running back Adrian Peterson into the team’s Ring of Honor during the 2026 season, the team announced Monday. Peterson, a seven-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro, will join fellow running backs and past honorees Chuck Foreman and Bill Brown.”
Carve out about 4 minutes to look at this social media masterclass. You received’t remorse it:
Peterson Weighs In
The key was well-kept. The Vikings caught Peterson completely off-guard. He even needed to placed on a tough-guy facade, preventing again tears that, for some purpose, he didn’t need on digital camera.
“I feel blessed that my name will go up there with the greatest of greats to play in this organization. It’s just a blessing — a constant reminder for me of how God is and how hard work pays off. Not only just hard work, but how you treat people, how you deal with people, the relationships that you build,” Peterson mentioned after the shock.
“That all comes into play when you’re honored to this magnitude. It feels amazing. It took everything in me to hold the tears back. I’m not really an emotional guy, but this is awesome. It’s just awesome.”
The Profession Accomplishments
As a member of the Vikings, Peterson performed 123 video games, totaling 11,747 dashing yards and 97 dashing touchdowns, with a mean of 4.9 yards per carry.
He later bounced across the NFL fairly a bit, refusing to retire quietly, and banking 14,918 dashing yards and 120 dashing touchdowns from 2007 to 2021. With Derrick Henry lurking in tenth place, Peterson ranks fifth all-time in dashing yards, besting Henry by 1,900 yards, which might be two extra years for Henry if accidents don’t decelerate his tempo.
Adrian Peterson acknowledges the group on Dec. 29, 2013, following the ultimate sport ever performed on the Metrodome in Minneapolis. Peterson turned one of many defining faces of the Vikings in the course of the stadium’s later years, serving to produce a number of playoff appearances and several other historic dashing performances earlier than the franchise finally moved into U.S. Financial institution Stadium. Obligatory Credit score: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Peterson additionally ranks fifth all-time in dashing touchdowns with 120, topped by Henry final season (122).
The Vikings’ legend additionally nonetheless holds the league’s single-game dashing report with 296 in opposition to the San Diego Chargers in 2007. That report is probably not damaged.
Right here’s Peterson’s full profession resume:
Minnesota Vikings (2007–2016)
New Orleans Saints (2017)
Arizona Cardinals (2017)
Washington Redskins (2018–2019)
Detroit Lions (2020)
Tennessee Titans (2021)
Seattle Seahawks (2021)
Attention-grabbing caveat: Peterson crossed paths with present Vikings skipper Kevin O’Connell in Washington in 2018 and 2019, although the pair had no shared connection to the Vikings on the time.
The Full ROH Listing
Peterson’s inclusion within the Ring of Honor brings the roster to 29. Right here’s the group:
Jared Allen
Matt Blair
Invoice Brown
Joey Browner
Bobby Bryant
Jerry Burns
Cris Carter
Chris Doleman
Dennis Inexperienced
Carl Eller
Jim Finks
Chuck Foreman
Bud Grant
Steve Jordan
Paul Krause
Randall McDaniel
Randy Moss
Alan Web page
Adrian Peterson
John Randle
Korey Stringer
Scott Studwell
Ahmad Rashad
Fran Tarkenton
Mick Tingelhoff
Kevin Williams
Ron Yary
Who’s subsequent for the Ring of Honor after Peterson? Most likely one among these males:
Antony Carter
Chad Greenway
Everson Griffen
Harrison Smith
Adam Thielen
Antoine Winfield
VikingsTerritory will put up formal particulars of the induction as they grow to be out there — in all probability when the game-by-game schedule is launched later this week.
Adrian Peterson carries the soccer in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles on Dec. 28, 2010, at Lincoln Monetary Area in Philadelphia. Peterson spent a decade terrorizing NFL defenses with the Vikings, constructing a Corridor of Fame resume by way of explosive runs, bodily dashing type, and a number of seasons that positioned him among the many league’s most dominant offensive gamers. Obligatory Credit score: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports activities.
Vikings proprietor Mark Wilf on the induction: “From the second we chosen Adrian within the 2007 NFL draft, he proved to be a transformational participant for the Minnesota Vikings. His historic 2012 MVP season will probably be rightfully remembered by followers, however Adrian’s constant manufacturing over 10 seasons in Minnesota is what firmly established him as an all-time Viking and one of many biggest to ever play this sport.
“It will be a privilege to welcome Adrian into the Vikings Ring of Honor this year, and we know it’s a matter of time before we are also celebrating his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.”
Peterson turned 41 in March.
Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … Extra about Dustin Baker
