Tom Pelissero

USA TODAY Sports

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. – In a loose, candid interview with USA TODAY Sports on Wednesday inside Minnesota Vikings headquarters, star running back Adrian Peterson discussed what he learned from the ordeal surrounding the death of his young son last fall, why the team needed a coaching change, how he'll prevent injuries from striking again this season and why he believes he's still the NFL's premier rusher.

Q: I came across a photo of the 10 Pro Bowl picks from the 2009 team that went to the NFC championship game. Now that Jared Allen and Kevin Williams have signed elsewhere, you're the only one left. Do you see yourself as a sort of bridge to the next generation?

A: Yeah, I guess you could say that – that cog, that bridge, that piece that's still required to be around and bring some fresh faces in as well. We're just kind of going through that phase. They say the NFL is a revolving door. There's guys that I was blessed to play with. Like you said, it was 10 guys that were Pro Bowlers. You couldn't have told me that at least two or three of those guys wouldn't still be here. It just goes to show how the business is. Ultimately, the organization is going to do what they feel is best for their team. If that's going younger or trying to save money, that's what it boils down to, no matter what type of talent you are. It's really the unfortunate part of the business, but I'm blessed to still be around, and hopefully, it doesn't happen to me one day. If it does, then, oh well. I'll go on and do something different with my career.

Q: You're not 30 years old until March, but that's a young locker room in there. Do you feel like the old guy?

A: I do. It's like me, B-Rob (Brian Robison), Chad (Greenway). There's a couple other guys that's been around here. But we definitely have a lot of new faces in the locker room and a younger team than we had. I was thinking yesterday, like, 'Man, I'm probably one of the oldest guys in this locker room.' It just goes so fast, man. It's a lot to take in, but I just try to live in the moment and enjoy it.

Q: You lose a lot of friends as guys leave, too. Who are you tight with now?

A: Chad, of course. Fred Evans. I've got a lot of friends on the team. I'm pretty much cool with everybody. Jamarca Sanford. We've got (Jasper) Brinkley back, and he was a good friend of mine off the field as far as kicking it and stuff like that. I try to be open with everybody, try to make everybody feel welcome and make them feel like, hey, I'm an easy person to talk to, get along with.

Q: When you think about everything the team has gone through since that 2009 season – you're on your third head coach, one playoff game, all the other stars have moved on – what is the state of the Vikings in your mind?



A: As of now, I would definitely say stable. And why I say stable – it's because it's a lot of, right now, unknown. I wouldn't have said stable at the end of last season. I definitely wouldn't have said that. I can say that now with the coaching staff that we have and offensively, defensively, the new conditioning staff. I feel like we're in a real good position, even with players that we drafted and brought in. Just being a part of OTAs and here, finishing up a minicamp tomorrow – I feel like we are in a stable condition, very stable. We're going to be able to (dictate) what way we go as far as how we continue to execute this offense and how we buy in and how we respond when we get on the field.

Q: The volume level on the practice field seems way higher with Mike Zimmer and this coaching staff. Did this team need somebody who was going to sort of put guys in their place?

A: Yeah, it is. When you think about little league football, high school and even on to college even more so, you're dealing with a lot of guys that are prideful, that think they're the best, a lot of alpha males. So, typically, you've got to have a guy that can control those guys and, when he talks, they know he means business. He's a serious guy. A lot of guys are so used to that, because that's what they grow up on. Me personally, I could play for a guy like Coach (Leslie) Frazier and go out and still give 110 percent. A lot of guys can't respond to him. What's his name that was down with the Colts? (Tony) Dungy. He had the same mentality as Coach Frazier. Some guys can respond to that. Some guys can't. Some guys need that guy that is going to be in your face and tell you what you don't like, but you know is true. Guys respond to that. It's a different energy level when you get that from your head coach. It's probably the first time we experienced that. Coach (Brad) Childress was kind of fiery at times. He'd talk noise to you and get on you as well. But in this sense, it's from the head coach, the offensive coordinator (Norv Turner) – it's around the board. I think as men, it's not to a disrespectful level. So, they're able to take the coaching, enjoy it more, have fun while doing it and then have that sense that, 'You know what? I like this. This is fun. This is what I want. This is what I'm needing.' That's what I'm kind of sense. That can change a team just like that.

Q: What's the state of Adrian Peterson?



A: Oh, man. Blessed. Blessed and highly favored. That's the state that I'm in right now.

Q: There's this media-driven debate about Adrian Peterson versus LeSean McCoy as the NFL's best back. A few years ago, it was Adrian Peterson versus Chris Johnson. It's a testament to you that it's been Adrian Peterson versus somebody for this long.

A: I would say it's a pretty good thing. That's why I say blessed and highly favored. There's always going to be a young guy that thinks they're better than me. And I don't blame them. When I was in high school, this guy came down from Dallas and he interviewed me – as a matter of fact, it was my senior year, and (Maurice) Clarett had won the little case (to enter the draft early). I was like, 'Yeah, I feel I can come out of high school' (to the NFL). I was 200 pounds and I ran a low-4.3. I'm like, 'I'm faster than the Cowboys running back. I'm sure I can get out there and play.' So, the mentality of a young guy coming in, wanting to be the best and kind of speaking that and believing that, I understand that. It just comes with it. I just enjoy when the talk comes up, when for instance, like a month and a half ago, LeSean McCoy makes a statement that, 'Hey, I'm the best running back in the league.' But he don't believe it.

Q: You've had surgeries in three consecutive offseasons now – the knee reconstruction, then the sports hernia, then the adductor release. Next year, you turn 30, which is a scary number for running backs. At what point does durability become a concern?



A: I feel I have longevity. There's things that I know personally I could've done better to try to prevent some of the injuries that occurred the last two years – especially last year, because towards the end of the season, that's when it really started to break down. I've been able to kind of focus on those areas as far as the healing process this year and kind of like backdoor-ing what I missed out on last year as far as strengthening the area that kind of triggered the surgery I had to have, the adductor release. But I feel like I'm going to play this game as long as I can. I came back from my ACL injury and won MVP. So, what's a groin? What's an adductor? That's how I look at things. I feel like if you just continue to take care of your body, working out, making sure you're in shape and you stay on top of your game, you can play as long as you want.

Q: Last year at this time, you're coming off the MVP season and talking about running for 2,000 yards, 2,500 yards. You end up with 1,266 – which is good for just about anybody else, but with you, it's a drop-off. Do you still set your goals that high? Or do you temper expectations a bit?

A: I always shoot for that high. That won't ever change. But what trumps that – numbers-wise, that is – is when you're in the conference championship and winning a Super Bowl and getting that no matter what way. If I get 2,000, 2,500 (yards) in the process, cool. And if I end up with 1,200 and a Super Bowl – psssh, I feel like I ran for 2,500. That's the ultimate goal. That's something that you're going to share and remember the guys you played with, remember the guys you did it with. That's my number one goal.

Q: Do you think you're around long enough to see this team ascend to that Super Bowl level?



A: I don't see why not. But then again, I know it's a business at the end of the day. I won't ever be blinded by that, when I hear different talks of this trade or that trade. Would you have ever traded Percy Harvin?

Q: Probably not unless I had to.



A: I wouldn't have. I would have been like, 'You're just going to sit here and I'll pay you, but you're not going nowhere else.' But he got traded. So, you never know. I'm always looking at things in different lights – not saying that I would want that. But if it was to happen, I've had a good time here. People will know that this guy gave his heart for this organization. I think the organization would take a heavy hit – for real – more so from the fan base. I don't think it would be like a LeBron (James) situation where they're burning my jersey, this, that and the other. They might be doing (the opposite) and not buying some season tickets.

Q: You had some personal hardship with the death of your young son in October. There was a lot of media coverage about your role in his life and your decision to play the following weekend. How did that entire experience shape your life and who you are as a person?

A: That definitely made me a stronger individual. With trials, you become wiser. You learn more about yourself and the people surrounding you. Me personally, I've never been the type of person to judge anyone over wrongdoing, no matter what it is. I'm just not a judgmental person. Going through some of the stuff I went through, I was able to kind of see people for who they really were, how they appeared to me, and just kind of tightened my circle even more. I have a tight circle anyways. I look at adversity to not keep me down long. We are human, so we do go through pain and we struggle with things, but it's all about how you respond to a situation. My whole life, I've been responding in a positive way and keeping a positive mind, keeping God first in my heart, in my mind. No matter what wrong I've done, I know who sees the heart. I was put here to play football, but that's not my main reason for being here. I understand what my main goal on earth is, and I know that only one person can judge me. So, with that, the world really can't do too much to hurt me. You understand? A lot of people don't look at life that way, but I do, and I've been able to find peace in a situation where people think, 'Wow, I don't know how he's getting through this or he's handling this.' I find that peace and get through.

Q: Can you still be the same guy you've been out there on the field?



A: Oh yeah. Better.

Follow Tom Pelissero on Twitter @TomPelissero.