The Minnesota Vikings certainly rubbed some fans the wrong way with a move they made with their new addition at wide receiver.
The Vikings signed former first-round pick N’Keal Harry on Sunday as a depth option during training camp. However, the real headline for many came in the form of the jersey number he was assigned. Harry was given No. 28, the same number worn by legendary running back Adrian Peterson during his Minnesota career.
Letting a wide receiver wear Adrian Peterson's number should be considered treason https://t.co/6jel1TyjsB
— Trevor Sikkema (@TampaBayTre) August 6, 2023
That move went down poorly with a lot of Vikings fans, and even NFL fans in general. No Vikings player has worn the number since Peterson departed in 2016. Hanging it to a minor wide receiver seems pretty odd, particularly since there is a good case to be made for retiring the number altogether. It is not as if Peterson is on bad terms with the organization, as far as we know.
In four seasons, Harry has just 64 receptions for 714 yards. Maybe he gets released before he ever wears the number in a regular season game, but it’s safe to say his impact on the Vikings will not come anywhere close to matching Peterson’s.
