Adrian Peterson returned to Minnesota Thursday night to face the Vikings (6-2) as a Washington Redskin (1-7). The home team honored the former 10-year Viking as the game was winding down in the fourth quarter, showing Peterson on the video boards as fans chanted, “AP.”
It was an emotional moment for 34-year-old, who was drafted by the Vikings in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft before spending a decade with the team.
“I had to hold tears back, to be honest,” Peterson said, via ESPN. “It was special, a special moment.”
The home team handled its one-win visitors, winning 19-9. Peterson finished with 76 rushing yards and 27 receiving yards, averaging more than 5.0 yards per carry.
“Just coming back and seeing the love they still have for me and they showed, man, it felt good,” the seven-time Pro Bowler, Peterson, said. “Even in defeat I’m able to embrace it and take it for what it was and it meant a lot. I spent a decade here so just to see that ovation and the love they showed it was meaningful.”
The return felt so much like home to the running back that he said he caught himself singing along with his opponent’s crowd at times.
“There was a couple times during the game I caught myself singing the Skol song,” he said. “It’s a natural instinct. Some things are just triggered.”
