Minnesota Vikings RB Adrian Peterson targets first week of 2012-13 season for return - NFL News
Minnesota Vikings running back, Adrian Peterson, seems determined to get back to full fitness in time for the Vikings first game of the season against Jacksonville Jaguars on September 9th.
The running back, who tore both his anterior cruciate as well as medial collateral ligaments in his left knee in December, is in no mood to miss out on the start of the season.
Peterson is currently taking part in hill sprints and other intense activities showing that he has regained full motion in his left knee and is in high spirits.
The injury Peterson, went through in December normally takes at least a year to fully heal, however, the running back is made of sterner stuff than other people and is way ahead of his schedule with his recovery.
Speaking to the Star Tribune in an interview on Sunday after taking part in practice he said that although experts are cautioning him to be more careful, he feels that he is different from other players they have treated.
"With the experts, I'm sure 90 or 95 percent of the time, they're right with their estimates but there are some guys you can't put the traditional timetable on. Some guys are different. I just happen to feel I'm one of those guys."
Eric Sugarman, the Vikings head athletic trainer though is not promising that Peterson will be ready for the start of the season, and maintains that he has a lot still to recover from before he can be given the go-ahead to return to full match fitness.
"In reality, he is only going to be back on the field when he is functionally safe to go on the field. Not just because he wants to say, 'Oh, I did it. I'm the greatest.' There's a lot more to it."
Peterson though is not too happy about sitting out the start of the season and the September 9th date remains his only goal.
“I can't let that negativity seep in. My mindset is that I will be there. I want to be playing. Forget what everyone else says."
He remains the Vikings best player yet and it is likely that the franchise will exercise great caution with his fitness.
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