When Derrick Henry went down with a Jones fracture, Adrian Peterson got a call from the Tennessee Titans and immediately signed on for the opportunity he spent months waiting for. But the future Hall of Fame running back also had another shot to make moves in front of a national audience.
Peterson, who was added to the Titans’ active roster this week, is expected to take on a prominent role in Tennessee. Filling the massive void left by Henry’s injury, Peterson will see plenty of snaps on “Sunday Night Football” against the Los Angeles Rams. However, he had another offer to appear on ABC’s top program.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Peterson was offered a spot on “Dancing with the Stars” in September. The deal promised $150,000 for participating in the rehearsal period and he could have earned up to $335,000 total.
- Adrian Peterson stats (career): 14,820 rushing yards, 118 rushing touchdowns, 4.6 ypc
Believing an opportunity to extend his NFL career would come along, Peterson turned down ABC. He received interest from the Baltimore Ravens when they suffered early injuries at running back, with the Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Las Vegas Raiders and Miami Dolphins also expressed some interest.
But the 36-year-old’s patience paid off weeks later. With the Titans contending for a Super Bowl and offering Peterson a shot to play an important role in a run-oriented offense, he signed with Tennessee on Monday.
Given Henry is likely sidelined through December, Peterson will get an extended opportunity with the Titans. It will allow him to add to his career totals, just 450 yards shy of passing Barry Sanders (15,269) for fourth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards leaders.
- Adrian Peterson stats (2020): 604 rushing yards, seven rushing touchdowns
Considering how much the Titans run the ball near the goal line and Peterson’s effectiveness in short-yardage situations, he could even catch up to Marcus Allen (123) for third place in all-time rushing touchdowns.