The Washington Redskins aren’t headed back to the playoffs this season, but despite their poor year, running back Adrian Peterson has continued to show he has what it takes to play in the NFL. Already one of the best running backs ever, if Peterson had his way, he’d continue playing for a long time.
Speaking to the media (via Pro Football Talk) during the week, Peterson, who turns 35 in March, still has no plans of retiring, and wants to continue playing well into the next couple of seasons.
“I can see myself playing to 40,” Peterson told Jane Slater of the NFL. “People look at that and say, ‘Oh, my God! That’s crazy,’ but they’ve been doing that for the past two years and surprise, surprise, I’m still able to do it at a high level.”
Currently, Peterson finds himself fourth all-time in rushing touchdowns with 111, and is currently fifth all-time in rushing yards, with over 14,000 to his name. While it’s unlikely that Peterson will crack 1,000 rushing yards this season, he’ll finish pretty close, as he only needs 180 to get there.
Washington closes out their 2019 season with a game against the 7-8 Dallas Cowboys, a game that will mean a lot to the Cowboys but little to Washington. Still, Peterson should have many chances to continue piling on yards, as he'll be leaned on heavily during the game.
Whether or not Peterson can consistently play as well as he has been into his later years remains to be seen, but it’s clear that he’s willing to give it a try. If 2019 is any indication, nothing will stop the generational running back from continuing to pile up yards.