After putting up a surprising 2015 campaign that saw them win the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings head into the 2016 season with championship aspirations.
A team with a bunch of young talent on both sides of the ball, Minnesota has become a trendy pick to come out of the ultra-competitive NFC.
A lot of this has to do with the upside some of the young players possess, including third-year quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and rookie receiver Laquon Treadwell on offense.
Though, it’s future Hall of Fame running back Adrian Peterson that’s stepping up and talking Super Bowl in the Vikings’ first season in their new digs.
Adrian Peterson says nothing wrong about talking about winning Super Bowl and any player not feeling that way should be traded
— Chris Tomasson (@christomasson) June 15, 2016
Despite the level of personal success Peterson has seen during his nine-year career with the team (11,675 rushing yards and 102 total touchdowns), his team hasn’t ever really competed for a title.
Minnesota has made the playoffs four times in Peterson’s nine years with the team, making it as far as the conference championship game just once.
At 31 years old and potentially heading into the twilight of his career with the Vikings, Peterson’s primary goal has to be to hoist a Lombardi trophy.
It’s an accomplishment that would legitimize a career that has recently fallen on difficult times following a child abuse situation a couple years back.
If he’s able to bring that title to Minnesota, the legend will grow among the team’s die-hard fan base.
Still reeling from heartbreaking loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the wild card round of the playoffs last season, expectations are increasingly high for the Vikings.
It now seems that Peterson wants to talk about said expectations. If not, you might as well not be his teammate in Minnesota this upcoming season.