Adrian Peterson is the best running back in the NFL, and if his career continues on the path that it’s currently on, he will no doubt go down as one of the best backs in the history of the league. Furthermore, if AP can make good on his latest prediction, he will probably go down as the greatest back of all-time.
In an interview on Wednesday, Peterson said that he thinks he can break Emmitt Smith’s career rushing record by week 16 of the 2017 season. Peterson, who is entering into his seventh season in the league, is already almost half way to his ultimate goal. But the prediction he made will be very difficult to live up to. In all fairness, Peterson was asked the question, and he did respond somewhat lightheartedly.
Ultimately, it will be an accomplishment for Peterson to even get in the ballpark of the record. If he stays healthy, that should be no problem. Being that Peterson is an athletic marvel, it is very possible that he could have the durability necessary to make-do on his prediction. He has been relatively healthy throughout his career, with the exception of tearing his ACL at the end of the 2011 season. But when Peterson returned from that injury in 2012, he rushed for more than 2,000 yards, and was eight yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single season rushing record. So even if he suffers an injury, he has shown the ability to recover and comeback strong.
While many don’t think that Peterson will be able to meet his goal, it will definitely be interesting to watch Peterson’s progress as the 2017 season approaches. Either way, Peterson will still go down as an all-time great, whether he breaks the record by that specified date or not.
