'Minnesota Really Took Me In': Patrick Peterson Talks Return To Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Patrick Peterson is coming back to play his second season with the Minnesota Vikings. And with OTAs starting this week, Ren Clayton describes this offseason of change for "Pat Pete."
"It's just hard to get in a groove when you get two targets per game [laughs], it's just hard," Peterson said.
He had just 64 targets last season, which could be taken as a compliment.
"It is, but 'Pro Football Focus' don't think so," he said.
The Vikings veteran corner announced he was returning to the team a few weeks ago.
"Minnesota really took me in, took me and my family in. And I feel like we had something really good going here. We just needed to get, you know, lead it in a different direction."
Peterson has seen new people take leadership, and was glad when Ed Donatell was named defensive coordinator -- a man who had recruited him out of college. The two had already spoken on the phone many times prior to this week.
"He understand that I was here with these guys last year, being the older guy. I kinda want to understand what certain players might want to do, some of the things I may like to do," he said. "Giving me the philosophy of the defense. You know, him telling me his expectations for me to get in the message through the young guys."
One of those young guys is former Green Bay Packer Chandon Sullivan, a four-year pro who will play in the secondary with Peterson.
"It's crazy. It just shows his longevity. I remember watching ... his college tape at LSU and just remembering the [Dallas Baptist University] era. And now to be in the same locker room, the same DB room, you know, it's crazy. You know, it's wild," Sullivan said. "Even my friends can't believe it. It was like, 'How's Pat Pete?' And I'm like, 'I'll let y'all know when I meet him tomorrow.'"