Vikings Adrian Peterson Carried Through Bar After Knee Injury
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings opened up their flashy new $1.1 billion stadium Sunday night with a 17-14 win over the Green Bay Packers, but it came at a price.
Adrian Peterson went down in the third quarter with an apparent right knee injury. He left the field after being looked at by trainers and didn't return, finishing the game with 12 carries for 19 yards. Ever seen a player get carried through a bar on the way to a locker room? It was certainly different, but team officials say it was the fastest and safest route to take.
Peterson stayed on the ground for several minutes after the injury and didn't put any weight on his right leg as trainers helped him off the field. Members of the training staff also essentially carried him back to the team locker room through the Delta Sky360 Club for further evaluation.
I can't believe the Vikings have to walk Adrian Peterson through a restaurant to get to the locker room pic.twitter.com/otjYbrEhGT
— Steve Palec (@stevepalec) September 19, 2016
That's right, Peterson had to be carried through a bar to get back to the locker room to look at what appears to be a significant knee injury. He will have an MRI Monday, and we'll know a lot more about his playing status the rest of the season once those results are made public. Most players who suffer an injury thought to be that significant get sent directly to the locker room on a cart. Peterson declined to have it used.
While it may have looked a little odd on TV, it wasn't a design flaw.
Team officials said Monday there are two routes to the Vikings locker room and their sports medicine facilities, the Delta Sky360 Club and a tunnel the team came out from for the pregame introductions. Sam Bradford used that tunnel when he went to get his non-throwing hand checked out.
Peterson, after hurting his right knee, told trainers he didn't want to be carted off with a team cart they have behind the bench. He insisted to walk off the field, so trainers carried him through the club, which is the shortest route to the locker room.
It's the second time Peterson has suffered a knee injury. He tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee against the Washington Redskins back in 2011, somehow recovered in about six months and nearly broke the NFL's single-season rushing record the next season.
While Peterson has gotten off to a slow start this year, having him gives the Vikings a much better chance of being a playoff team and making a run.