Vikings running back Adrian Peterson believes he will be ready to play when he’s eligible to return off injured reserve in eight weeks, according to Tom Pelissero of USA Today. Peterson was placed on IR yesterday, but thanks to the NFL’s new injured reserve rules, he’s able to come back in two months if healthy.
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However, according to those in the Vikings organization, Peterson’s optimism is somewhat unwarranted, and there is still doubt as to whether Peterson can return to the field in 2016, per Pelissero. Doctors will have to wait at least one month before determining if the veteran back has any shot at playing again this year.
A pair of surgeons told Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press earlier this week that had Peterson opted to have the injured portion of his meniscus removed rather than repaired, he could have returned to the field in weeks, not months. But doing so could have presented problems for Peterson later in his career and during his post-football life, as such a procedure can lead to arthritis in the knee.
That decision by Peterson has reportedly led some Vikings to express “private” frustrations, as some teammates believe that Peterson could have played thorough the injury. But the “top” of the franchise — presumably the front office and/or ownership — are accepting of Peterson’s decision, and are hoping the veteran back returns in 2017.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
In my case p, I had one third of my miniscus removed it’s now very painful. The doctors in Japan told me it was the only thing they could do