In today’s episode of NFL Fathers Who Feel the Need to Speak Up, we have Adrian Peterson’s dad, Nelson Peterson. Adrian Peterson found a new home with the Seattle Seahawks this week, signing to their practice squad. It happened during the same week that his old team, the Minnesota Vikings, was dealing with their own running back issues.
After an MRI on Monday revealed a torn labrum in star running back Dalvin Cook’s shoulder, it is believed that he will miss at least a couple of weeks. The Vikings chose to bring in ex-Detroit Lions running back Kerryon “My Wayward” Johnson. According to Chris Thomasson of the Pioneer Press, this didn’t exactly sit well with Peterson’s dad.
Reacting to the perceived snub from his former franchise, Nelson lamented, “That’s disappointing to me… Adrian never heard anything from the Vikings and you go in and bring in a guy Adrian beat out in Detroit.”
Well, disgruntled father, I’m sorry to break it to you, but he certainly did not beat him out. As evidenced by pretty much every team in the modern NFL, a pass-catching back is essential, and Johnson maintained his role on that team to supplement the most glaring deficiency in Adrian’s game — his piss-poor pass blocking.
With Alexander Mattison firmly entrenched as a strong between-the-tackles back, it makes perfect sense the Vikings would look to use a temporary third-string back on a skilled pass-catcher like Johnson. Plus, Johnson didn’t just get cut a week ago from the Tennessee Titans after looking completely washed up in a pitiful two-week stint filling in for another elite running back.
Adrian Peterson will have his chance against the San Francisco 49ers this week to prove his dad correct, but I’ll happily take Kerryon Johnson to spell Mattison on a few third downs and make his former teammates miss on some third-and-short dump-offs from Cousins to move the chains. Skol.
