Adrian Peterson says he plans to play in 2018, won’t need surgery
Adrian Peterson has been placed on injured reserve because of a neck injury, ending his 2017 season and leaving many wondering if we have seen the last of him in an NFL game. On Friday, Peterson directly addressed that question.
In a statement he released to ESPN’s Josina Anderson, Peterson says he has been informed by a doctor that he will not need to undergo neck surgery. He said he has every intention of “returning completely healthy” in 2018.
Here is #Cardinals RB Adrian Peterson's statement to me on the end of his season & his future. pic.twitter.com/Pd8f63dNuQ
— Josina Anderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 15, 2017
Peterson had a couple of big games with the Cardinals where he showed he can still be as explosive as ever, but injuries have led to inconsistency over the past two seasons. He finishes the 2017 season with 129 carries for 448 yards and two touchdowns — both of which came in his Cardinals debut.
Peterson will be 33 at the start of the 2018 season. He has dealt with multiple significant knee injuries and now the neck injury. It took him quite a while to find a new home last offseason, and his tenure with the New Orleans Saints was not exactly a memorable one. Finding work this winter could prove even more difficult for the seven-time Pro Bowler.