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Running back Adrian Peterson's future with the Minnesota Vikings is very much up in the air, and if he ultimately decides that playing for the Vikes again is out of the question, retirement is reportedly on the table.

According to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com, the 30-year-old superstar may choose to retire if the Vikings don't opt to trade him or meet whatever demands he might have.

The six-time Pro Bowler admitted in December that he was thinking about retiring from football after his season-long suspension was upheld, per ESPN.com's Ben Goessling:

I've considered retiring from the NFL. I still made $8 million this year. I've thought about getting back into the real estate (business in Texas) I'm already in. That's something I've been interested in, something I'm involved in. I've thought about getting back into that. I've thought about going after the Olympics—you only live once. It might be time for me to pursue that, as well. I love playing football, don't get me wrong, but this situation is deeper than that. For me, it's like, 'Why should I continue to be a part of an organization or a business that handles players the way they do? Making money off the field anyway, why not continue to pursue that (Olympic) dream and pursue other dreams and hang up the cleats?'

If Peterson does decide to walk away from the Vikings and the NFL, though, he will be leaving a ton of money on the table.

That is why Ross Tucker of NBCSN doesn't believe the holdout will last beyond the start of the 2015 regular season:

Despite the fact that AP missed all but one game last season, he is still considered one of the premier running backs in football, and he has proven capable of carrying the Vikings on his back without much help.

The Vikes need Peterson in the fold, but they can't afford to lose him for nothing, which is what will happen if he goes through with retirement.

Losing a player of Peterson's caliber would be a major blow to the Vikings and the NFL since he is presumably still among the best in the game, but he has a great deal of bargaining power on his side because of that.

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