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There are several reasons to wonder why veteran running back Adrian Peterson would choose the Saints, and it’s clear that this one came down to a gut feeling for him.

Peterson told ESPN’s Josina Anderson upon agreeing to a two-year deal that he felt at home in New Orleans, for a number of reasons.

“Most importantly, I chose this team because it just felt right within my spirit,” he said. “Additionally, my wife and family added their confirmation with the same feelings. On offense, it goes without saying that the Saints are really solid behind Drew Brees. I feel like my skill set can make them even more dominant as a unit. They have a great offensive line, which is something that stood out to me as well. I could tell from talking to head coach Sean Payton over the last two weeks that he did his due diligence in evaluating how I could contribute.

“I also did a lot of homework on the defense as well. While I know that injuries have played a role in performance, I also see areas of potential with a lot of younger guys having the ability to step up. Lastly, it goes without saying that the Saints have an amazing fan base and I look forward to making them proud and creating everlasting memories.”

After being shown the door in Minnesota after a long and productive career, and flirting unsuccessfully with other teams earlier this offseason, it sure seems like Peterson just wanted to be wanted. And it’s apparent that Payton was able to do just that, to bring in a former MVP as a backup running back on the kind of deal that would have been unimaginable for Peterson not that long ago.