It's been nearly two decades since Pete Carroll visited Palestine High School in East Texas, trying to convince a young Adrian Peterson to bring his considerable football talents to USC.
The final decision was close, Peterson said, but he ultimately chose Oklahoma where he went on to become an All-American running back, the later a first-round pick of the Minnesota Vikings.
"I remember being in class and the coach came down and was like, 'Hey, there's a coach here to see you,'" Peterson recalled. "We had a two-story high school, and the coach's office was the last window, and it overlooked the basketball court. I walk up, I was on the second level, walk around to the athletic office and he was like, 'He's down there.' I look and I see a guy with white hair shooting jumpers and shooting three pointers. It was Pete Carroll when I got down there. It was so real for me being from East Texas and knowing a lot about Pete Carroll at the time. Here he is in little Palestine, Texas, coming to recruit me. I remember just talking to him and him giving me his spiel. Ultimately, I ended up taking an official visit out there to USC. It didn't work out, but my close family they know it was so close. It came down between Oklahoma and USC. Oklahoma just had a little more perks when it came to like being closer to home, my daughter, being close to Dallas. I had a lot of family there. If Oklahoma was on the east coast, yeah I think I would've been a Trojan."
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Carroll didn't get his guy back then, but now, years later, Peterson is joining Carroll as a member of the Seahawks, with the future Hall of Fame back signing to Seattle's practice squad on Wednesday. And while a lot of time has passed, the 36-year-old Peterson is confident that, even in year 15 in the NFL, he still has in him the ability to help Seattle's offense.
"I feel like I can still compete at a high level," Peterson said prior to his first practice with the Seahawks. "Just having opportunities to help teams, to inspire guys, that's one of the most rewarding things when I see guys and they say to me to just keep doing what you're doing, it's so inspiring. I see Mark Ingram in Tennessee and he was like, 'Bro, you need to get your shoulders low man. What are you doing?' I was like, 'I know.' Then he was like, 'But you're inspiring me man.' I got released and picked up by Seattle, he was one of the first people that texted me saying the same thing. Keep inspiring. That and obviously chasing a championship… If I would've let people decide, I would've been retired five or six years ago."
Peterson began this season as a free agent, then signed with the Titans after Derrick Henry went on injured reserve, and while his numbers in three games with Tennessee weren't all that impressive—he rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown on 27 carries—he felt like he was just getting his legs under him before the Titans released him two weeks ago.
"I don't really feel like I showed too much in Tennessee, but before I got released, I was feeling like my legs were back under me," he said. "I felt like going to the Patriots week, that was the week I was going to blossom. Unfortunately, I got released. I feel like there's a lot I can add to the run game and inspire these young guys as well. Make those guys work harder when they see me out there pretty much going full speed during a walkthrough 14 years in, that'll make them kind of pick up their tempo a little more as well. I feel like I'll be able to add to the running back room and help get this running game going."
As a member of the practice squad, Peterson currently isn't on the 53-man roster, but can be elevated for up to two games without being added to the roster, or the Seahawks can sign him to the roster at any time. Asked if he would be ready to play this weekend after only a couple days of practice, Peterson said, "That's definitely a goal for me. It's a goal for me, but that's up to the coaches and the staff and see how I finish off this week. I'm sure they'll make a decision based off that."
And in addition to his still impressive physical abilities, Peterson can also help the Seahawks by being a leader and an example to younger players on how a Hall of Fame-caliber player goes about his business.
"Just how he has gone about practice, how he treats the game, how he respects the game… he's a true pro," said quarterback Russell Wilson. "I was here last night until about 8:30, 9 o'clock, and I come back down and he's still here. There's a reason why he's great."
Take a look at running back Adrian Peterson over the course of his NFL career. Peterson, who signed to Seattle's practice squad on December 1, 2021, has played 15 seasons in the league and is a seven-time Pro-Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, right, looks to run the ball as Denver Broncos safety John Lynch comes in to cover in the third quarter of the Broncos' 22-19 overtime victory in the teams' NFL final regular-season football game in Denver on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson answers a question at the 2007 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Year news conference Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
Defensive back Bob Sanders #21 of the Indianapolis Colts tackles running back Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on September 14, 2008 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Colts defeated the Vikings 18-15. (AP Photo/David Stluka)
GREEN BAY, WI - SEPTEMBER 8: Running back Adrian Peterson #28 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the football against the Green Bay Packers at the Lambeau Field on September 8, 2008 in Green bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Vikings 24-19. (AP Photo/Scott Boehm)
Cincinnati Bengals' Chad Ochocinco talks to Minnesota Vikings' Adrian Peterson (28) after the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 13, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 30-10. (AP Photo/Hannah Foslien)
GREEN BAY, WI - NOVEMBER 1: Brett Favre #4 of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates with teammate Adrian Peterson #28 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on November 1, 2009 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Vikings defeated the Packers 38-26. (AP Photo/Tom Hauck)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson carries the ball during the first half of an NFL football game against the Washington Redskins in Landover, Md., Sunday, Nov. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) runs for a touchdown with Arizona Cardinals safety Kerry Rhodes (25) closing in during an NFL football game in Minneapolis Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Andy King)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) takes a knee, points skyward, and celebrates after scoring a third quarter touchdown on a 3 yard run that cuts the Green Bay Packers lead to 24-7 during the NFL week 10 football game against the Green Bay Packers on Monday, November 14, 2011 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers won the game 45-7. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) carries the ball during a Week 7 NFL football game against the Green Bay Packers on October 23, 2011 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Packers won 33-27. (AP Photo/David Stluka)
FILE - In this Dec. 9, 2012, file photo, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) celebrates with teammate Jerome Felton, right, after scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in Minneapolis. Adrian Peterson avoided jail time on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2014, in a plea agreement reached with prosecutors to resolve his child abuse case. (AP Photo/Genevieve Ross, File)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson accepts the AP Most Valuable Player award during the 2nd annual NFL Honors award show at the Mahalia Jackson Theater in New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 2, 2013. (AP Photo/Perry Knotts)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) is introduced prior to an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2013, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) in action against the Baltimore Ravens December 8, 2013 at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore defeated Minnesota 29-26. (AP Photo/Damian Strohmeyer)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson runs with the ball as St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, left, and linebacker Alec Ogletree, right, defend during the first quarter an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson, center, talks with teammate Xavier Rhodes, right, on the sidelines during the second half of an NFL preseason football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Saturday, Aug. 16, 2014, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Ann Heisenfelt)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) runs for a gain during an NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2015, in Minneapolis. Minnesota won 49-17. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) stretches before the NFL regular game against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 in Glendale, Ariz. The Cardinals won, 23-20. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) hugs Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) during the NFL preseason week 2 game on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2016 in Seattle. The Vikings won, 18-11. (Ric Tapia via AP)
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28), of Team Rice, lines up in the backfield during the NFL Pro Bowl football game against Team Irvin on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2016, in Honolulu. Team Irvin won 49-27. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
New Orleans Saints running back Adrian Peterson gives a thumbs-up to photographers as he walks off the field after taking part in an NFL training session at the London Irish rugby team training ground in the Sunbury-on-Thames suburb of south west London, Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2017. The New Orleans Saints are preparing for an NFL regular season game against the Miami Dolphins at London's Wembley stadium on Sunday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
New Orleans Saints running back Adrian Peterson (28) carries the ball during NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2017 in Charlotte, N.C. Saints won 34-13. (Peter Read Miller via AP)
Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson prepares to take the field before an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, in Landover, Md. The Eagles defeated the Redskins 24-0. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson (26) runs the ball during a NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Sunday, Dec. 16, 2018, in Jacksonville,Fla. (Logan Bowles / NFL)
Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson (26) poses with Minnesota Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes (29) and defensive end Everson Griffen (97) following an NFL football game, Thursday, Oct. 24, 2019, in Minneapolis. The Vikings won 19-9. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Washington Redskins running back Adrian Peterson (26) runs for yardage during an NFL football game against the San Francisco 40ers Sunday Oct. 20, 2019 in Landover, Md. The Redskins were defeated by the 49ers 9-0. (Damian Strohmeyer via AP)
Detroit Lions running back Adrian Peterson lines up for a play during an NFL football game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday, Nov. 8, 2020, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
Detroit Lions RB Adrian Peterson (28) celebrates a touchdown during the game against the Houston Texans on Thursday, Nov. 26, 2020 in Detroit. The Texans defeated Detroit 41-25. (Zachary Silver via AP)
Tennessee Titans running back Adrian Peterson (8) runs upfield during an NFL football game against the New Orleans Saints, Sunday, Nov. 14, 2021, in Nashville, Tenn. The Titans won 23-21. (Perry Knotts via AP)
Tennessee Titans running back Adrian Peterson (8) waves to fans following an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2021 in Inglewood, Calif. The Titans defeated the Rams 28-16. (John McGillen via AP)
