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After long absence, Adrian Peterson rejoins Vikings
Adrian Peterson is returning to the Minnesota Vikings.
Peterson, the 2012 NFL MVP, told multiple outlets that he will join the team for their organized team activities on Tuesday.
“I've been away from the game for an entire season,” Peterson told the Associated Press. “I wanted the chance to be around the players and coaches, the guys that really matter to me.”
It’s the first time the All-Pro running back has been with his teammates since September, when he was indicted for child abuse for disciplining his young son with a switch.
Peterson eventually reached a plea agreement and avoided jail, but was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list and missed the final 15 games of the season.
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Peterson subsequently expressed hesitancy about returning to the Vikings because he says the team did not support him throughout his ordeal. And just last week, as he missed the first three days of OTAs, Peterson sent a series of tweets saying that he was dissatisfied with his contract security. Peterson has three years and close to $45 million remaining on his deal, but none of the money is guaranteed.
After all that, Peterson says he just wants to get back on the field.
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“I understand this is a business. Clearly there were a lot of emotions involved, but I will only be better from the situation,” Peterson told the AP. “I have a role to play and the Vikings have one as well. It’s time to move forward and put my energy and focus on preparing for the season.”
Rumors swirled that Peterson was hoping for a trade, but the Vikings have long maintained that it wasn’t going to happen.
“He can play for us, or he can not play,” head coach Mike Zimmer said last week. “He’s not going to play for anybody else and that’s just the way it’s going to be.”
Peterson told ESPN’s Josina Anderson that he spoke with Zimmer about those comments to clear the air.
"The conversation between Mike Zimmer and I went well. He was able to express what place [his comments] came from and I was able to listen. I was also able to express how I received that and we came to common ground about it. That was the end of it. I told him to tell the family I said hello and I'll see you next week."
Now that he’s back with the Vikings, Peterson joins a young team that appears to be on the rise behind second-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and a bevy of other young talent.
“I love my teammates,” Peterson said. “We have a great group of young players and a solid coaching staff and I’m excited to get back on the field with those guys and play in front of the fans again.”
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Sam Cooper is a contributor for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
