2012 NFL MVP cautions against his kids playing the running back position due to low pay and high risks factors

Peterson claimed running backs need to be fairly compensated.

2012 NFL MVP cautions against his kids playing the running back position due to low pay and high risks factors

All Pro NFL running back Adrian Peterson (Image via IMAGO)

Contracts regarding NFL running backs have been a hot topic since the offseason. And who better to ask than Adrian Peterson? The 38-year-old made the position his own during his professional career. But now we believe that future generations should think twice before choosing to be one.

In a recent interview with Robert Griffin III on his YouTube podcast RG3 and the Ones, Peterson weighed in on the much-talked-about situation in recent times. Not only did he discuss in depth the crashing running-back market, but he also backed them to earn big money extensions.

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These guys and the sacrifices they make playing that position should definitely be getting paid amongst some of the highest paid players on the team.

That’s what the RB’s fighting for—to earn what they believe they deserve. However, the franchise owners have remained indifferent to their pleas. They even made conference calls to discuss what would be on their agenda going forward.

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As Peterson mentioned, the running backs do a whole lot besides the obvious rushing with the ball from point A to point B. Not only that, over the years, the type of physicality required for the position has changed massively. Adrian Peterson, who has gone through the difficulties of facing these challenges, claimed he would not want his kids to be running backs in the future.

It’s a brutal position. I do not want my boys to play that position. If they want to play football, hey, be a receiver, [or] be an outside linebacker. Do something different.

Adrian Peterson described the horrors of playing as a running back

In the 1960s and 1970s, most players who chose to play that role were as big as modern-day tight ends. As time passed, size became secondary, and the focus on speed increased. But the responsibility remained the same.

2012 NFL MVP cautions against his kids playing the running back position due to low pay and high risks factors Adrian Peterson
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (Image via Sky Sports)

The former Minnesota Vikings stalwart further revealed:

When you get the ball, you’ve got 11 guys coming at you. Not only that, you’re blocking the linebackers the defensive tackles. We block everyone. Pay us what we’re due. Especially when we’re being productive.

Besides talking about the running back scenario, RG3 asked Adrian Peterson whether he still thinks about making a return to the NFL. He neither agreed nor denied it.

Peterson has been a free agent since 2022 and has never officially announced his retirement. The 2012 NFL MVP is one of the few players to cross the 2,000 rushing yards barrier in a single season.

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