PALESTINE, Texas — When we speak on some of the greatest football players to ever come out of East Texas, Earl Campbell and Patrick Mahomes are the first two that may come to mind, but there's another East Texas great who, when his final snap is played, will go down as one of the greatest running backs in NFL history.
Long before he would be a record-setting NFL running back, Adrian Peterson started right here in beast Texas — Palestine to be exact.
Peterson garnered national attention in 2003, his senior year of high school, where he rushed for nearly 3,000 yards and scored 32 touchdowns. According to current Palestine head coach Lance Angel, Peterson still has a lasting impact, even now in 2021.
"There's always players and people in communities still talk about him," Angel said. "And a lot of our players that I've been able to coach here in my seven years have some relation to the Peterson family. So I know some of our players have gone and worked out with him in the summertime when he's in Houston. So there's still a big connection between Palestine ISD and Adrian Peterson."
Peterson doesn't just give back to the players — he's also known for his philanthropy in his community.
"Giving back to my community, man these are my true fans," Peterson said. "So supporting them and showing them that, 'hey I got your back' ... I feel like it's the least I can do."
After high school, Peterson's next stop would be Oklahoma where he was All-Big 12 three times before being drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2007 national football league draft.
At that time he was being compared to another legendary East Texas player: Earl Campbell.
Last Sunday, the Tennessee titans suffered a huge blow. The NFL's leading rusher and Tennessee's offensive cheat code Derrick Henry will miss 6-8 weeks due to a broken foot.
So, who do you call?
You call someone with a similar style. At least in terms of production.
When you look around at active, available running backs in the league, only one name comes to mind: Adrian Peterson
Peterson is an East Texas alum who just happens to be a seven-time pro bowl running back who led the NFL in rushing three different seasons, the last being in 2015. But we can't forget about 2012: Peterson had returned from a season-ending ACL tear. He then led the Vikings in one of the greatest comebacks of all time, rushing for over 2,000 yards, and crowned the national football league's most valuable player.
He also is one of only eight players in NFL history to run for at least 2,000 yards in a season. Another name on that list: Derrick Henry.
Peterson is 36 years old. This will be his 15th season in the league. Where according to ESPN, The average career span is 3.3. years.
6 teams, 15 Seasons ... and no sign of ending just yet.
"The stories about how hard work he was and what a great young man he was around the school and the time that he spent here," Angel said. "You know, it's a great example for young men to follow."
Inducted into the Texas high school football hall of fame back in 2019, Peterson's next stop will be Nashville. But we all know where his last stop will be: Canton, Ohio, in the pro football hall of fame.
Adrian Peterson is currently the fifth leading rusher in league history. When it comes to rushing yards, Peterson is still the second-highest single-season total in NFL history.