The Facts: Peterson is back with the Minnesota Vikings. The 2012 NFL MVP will join the Vikings for organized team activities on Tuesday, ending an absence from the team that stretched nearly nine months, back to when Peterson was indicted on Sept. 12 for injuring his child while disciplining him with a switch. "I'm returning because I want to. I'm a part of this football team and I owe it to the guys I play with and to our coaches," Peterson wrote Tuesday morning in an email to ESPN. "I was planning on coming in this week, and I'm looking forward to getting back on the field. It's what I love to do."
Diehards Line:
Peterson had harbored reservations about returning to the Vikings after missing 15 games last season, telling ESPN in February he believed the team had not sufficiently supported him through his legal troubles and that his family had concerns about returning to Minnesota. The Vikings have not yet reworked Peterson's contract, but it seemed over the weekend as though the running back was considering a return to the Vikings after his conversations with Zimmer. He boarded a flight to the Twin Cities on Monday, and was ready to rejoin the team on Tuesday morning. Peterson declined to discuss whether the Vikings had indicated a willingness to restructure his contract. "I'll leave those discussions to my agent, but any player wants to guarantee his future as much as possible," Peterson said. "I'm focused on what I need to do on the field, what I need to do to prepare for the season." And that's the bottom line. We'll follow up as needed.