The Vikings are set to pull out the big guns in hopes of convincing Adrian Peterson that he’s loved in Minnesota.
USA Today is reporting that head coach Mike Zimmer and GM Rick Spielman are set to fly to Houston to meet with the embattled and unhappy running back.
Barring a last-minute change of plans, it’ll be the first face-to-face meeting in months — direct communication that was barred until last week, when a federal judge ruled in Peterson’s favor and the NFL moved the 2012 MVP from the suspended list to the commissioner’s exempt list.
The visit to Houston recalls memories of the Vikings’ trips to Hattiesburg, Miss., years ago to talk legendary quarterback Brett Favre into playing another season. This time, there’s no question Peterson wants to play. It’s a matter of where.
Peterson, 29, has expressed reservations for months about him and his family returning to Minnesota after last year’s controversy. He hasn’t asked for a trade or issued any ultimatums, but it’s unclear to what degree, if at all, Peterson is open to coming back.